Halo: Return of the Forerunner
by AvalonGuardian
Summary: Halo takes a twist sometime near Halo 3. Only that the war hasn't ended just yet. On one side of the galaxy the Forerunner return en mass from a long galactic exile in inter dimensional space.
1. Chapter 1

**Chapter 1**  
**Rebirth**  
May 2, 2562

The sky. All I remember is how the sky looked. For four hours, all I saw were covenant ships, butchered, massacred by volley after volley of particle beam fire. This, in particular, made it hard to believe that for the past few years, they had expended little effort in annihilating the Humans' forces.

No longer.

They said they didn't believe us when we informed them of our return. They couldn't conceive of it. For over 100,000 years we sat in self-imposed exile from the galaxy, waiting until we were needed again. Upon our return, we discovered a massive conglomerate, which claimed to worship us.

Worship?

They see the genocide of our descendants and the abuse of our technology as worship? The Emperor, my father, was outraged. At first, he negotiated, calmly but sternly demanding for the disbandment and disarmament of this so-called "Covenant". They refused, mistaking us for the Human "vermin" upon which they had waged war for so long, attempting to attack one of our new colonies. If only they had known better.

My father knew this planet, a planet of life; bountiful, with forests and rivers, and it was one of the few worlds whose existence we were able to hide from the Flood. He was only a child when his father discovered it. The team was surprised to have found this planet, as it was located in a characteristically empty and barren area of the galaxy. A diamond in the rough, if you will.

They called it... Avalon.


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**  
**Retaliation**  
June 3, 2562

Yesterday morning the shoreline was a crisp paradise. I watched the waves lap against the beach as murloch crabs skirted across the sand. We cherish our creations and our sanctuaries above all else. If this Covenant truly worshiped us then they would know that. It's a shame they do not recognize us as Forerunner; my father might have spared them even after the genocide they had committed.

The attack came in the afternoon; Xahnna and I were eating in the courtyard when we saw plasma torpedoes rain from the sky. We didn't run. We didn't need to. They bounced off the planet wide distortion field and back into space.

It was odd, as there was a long pause before the Anti-Orbital Positron Cannons fired; their crimson lances carving a swath through the Covenant fleet. Five Battle Cruisers and one Assault Carrier were immediately destroyed.

I guess we startled them, as their fleet began to scatter. By the time we got to our carrier, the Harbinger, my father asked us and the Contender to launch. The Contender was a small carrier, she only held four A.E.G.I.S. units compared to our eight; she was capable, though.

So now it begins I guess, another war to liberate the galaxy. This one however, should be relatively easy compared to the last one...

**  
Chapter 2! Once again reviews please!! I need to make my chapters longer...**


	3. Chapter 3: Duel

**Chapter 3**  
**Duel**  
June 3, 2562

First officer Seirha had an anxious look about him. This was going to be the first time to serve with Commander K'Taurn. As a precautionary step, the moment the Harbinger slipped out of Avalon's atmosphere he gave the order to launch all A.E.G.I.S. units. He was more than thankful he did this the moment a small Covenant battle group came into view.

"Order all pilots to their stations, launch A.E.G.I.S. units one through six on combat patrol. Have seven and eight on ship guard."

Bridge CIC officer Didain began working quickly.

"All pilots to your stations. Repeat. All pilots to your stations. Launch crews prepare all Advanced Exoskeletal Guardian Interdiction Suits for immediate launch!"

A.E.G.I.S. units were the first line of defense against enemy fighters, however they were also design to perform utilitarian roles amid combat should they arise. The arms were design with grappler hands with a plasma projector in each palm, the legs and back pack unit were equipped with maneuvering thrusters as well as a generator for a local M.D. field.

The bridge door opened and everyone snapped to attention. Xarrha gave a salute back and everyone rested back to their positions.

As commander Xarrha K'Taurn stepped onto the bridge, the first officer gave a quick sitrep.

"Commander, a single battle cruiser and two destroyers are inbound, sir."

"What's the status of the Magnetic Distortion Field?"

"Ready to engage sir."

"Hold off on activation until my command."

"Yes sir!"

A flash of blue light shot out from the battle group ahead.

"Sir! Plasma torpedo inbound!"

"Drop the ship 500 meters and pitch the bow up 50 degrees! Charge batteries 1 and 3 and stand by!"

In that instant the Harbinger dropped closer towards Avalon, the golden great plains of the Aurelian continent in clear view. The bow aligned perfectly with the battle cruiser as two batteries along the bow and command tower hummed to life with a soothing blue glow; plasma torpedo clearing and missed.

"Fire!!"

Two blue lances of searing plasma raced across the stars, slicing the battle cruiser into 3 separate floating hulks.

"Commander! Their reactor is going critical!"

"Activate the M.D. Field!"

The sky was quickly enveloped in a small sun like explosion. The two destroyers too close to the battle cruiser were quickly enveloped and vaporized. The Harbinger however was safe inside her small gravitic pocket, the explosion distorted around and away from the ship. Thankfully the A.E.G.I.S. units were slow to launch, or they may have been destroyed as well.

"Good call commander."

"Thank you, good job everyone, but we still need to kick them from our system. Status on the Contender?"

"She's engaged with two battle cruisers near the Atlan trans-orbital space elevator!" Didain quickly snapped back.

"Take us too her, let's show this…Covenant…just what we can do."

The Harbingers engines roared to life as she banked towards her next confrontation.

**Alright 3rd chapter here we go!!! My story probably has the fewest words on this site -_-;; Reviews please!!**


	4. Chapter 4: A Kings Anger

Chapter 4

A Kings Anger

June 3, 2562

The Contender stood her ground. She was at a perfect distance so the incoming barrage of plasma cannon fire and plasma torpedoes warped around her AND the space elevator. She had been ambushed upon ascending into orbit by the Atlan space elevator; a covenant frigate hiding behind the station hit her primary plasma conduit on her belly before she could activate her MD field. Two battle cruisers proceeded to pin her there as the frigate retreated.

"We seem to be in a perfect position sir."

Commander Ahctus sensed sarcasm in First Officer Sectum's voice.

"…indeed…"

Ahctus felt ashamed. To receive a crippling blow this early in the fight was nothing short of embarrassing. Ahctus' thoughts were interrupted by Contenders onboard AI, Limitless Serenity; materializing on the left arm of the commanders chair.

"Sir, I'm detecting a new signal heading our way fast…Ascender class, it's the Harbinger."

"K'Taurn? Great, just what I need right now, to be saved by a child…"

Commander K'Taurn had a since of agitation, ready to get back in the fight.

"Pitch the bow down 80 degrees, decrease speed to ¾ and charge batteries three and four!"

From the bridge of the Harbinger everyone could see small glistening particles rain from the bays of the two cruisers.

"Commander, the two cruisers ahead have launched fighters!"

"I see them Didain, have all aegis units intercept them, helmsman, plot a course to bring us up on the bellies of those cruisers!"

A small figure of a man wearing a priest robe and sash materialized on Xarrha's chair console.

"You're being a bit reckless aren't you?"

Sanctus' tone was that of annoyance. Harbingers AI often at times didn't agree with Xarrha's actions in battle. He believed they put too much undo stress on the relatively new ship.

"Relax Sanctus, the situation is under control."

Without missing a beat the battle cruisers came into view, bellies wide open; the captain of the aegis squad alerted on the comm. channel.

"Commander, we have the fighters distracted, you may begin your run."

"Excellent! Batteries three and four, fire!"

The two tear drop bow sections of the cruisers were carved clean off, one drifted deeper into space, the other into the gravity beam of the elevator. It subsequently collided with a cargo pod inbound for the station and exploded.

"…father won't be too pleased with me for that…"

"Now didn't I tell you that you were being reckless?!"

* * *

June 3, 2562

Planet: Avalon, Laurentian Highlands

Location: Hall of Kings, Palace of the High Family

The emperor's advisor was quick in step, normally anyone who traveled down the Hall of Kinds did so slowly to honor those who guided, protected, and served the Forerunner Empire. The walls of this long corridor were adorned with statues of many Emperors who ruled in the past, the last statue commemorated Ganrha K'Taurn…Xarrha's grandfather. As the advisor approached the end, two large decorative doors slide apart.

"My lord, the battle above our planet is going in our favor, but it still continues."

A large broad shouldered man, clad in ornate ceremonial armor, with a white cape draped over his back turned to face the advisor; his helmet visor glowing with a white intensity.

"…I tire of this."

"My lord?"

The man hastily walked over to a glowing orb, surrounded by a single large screen. The orb was covered in many ornate keys. He lightly tapped 5 of these keys, the orbs glow began to intensify.

* * *

June 3, 2562

Planet: Avalon

Location: High orbit near the Atlan Trans-Orbital Space Elevator

"Sanctus how many covenant ships are left above the planet?"

"138 ships remaining, they seem to be focused around a single super carrier."

"It appears like this could take longer than expected, how many of our ships do we have in combat?"

"We have 322 ships in combat, all are making steady progress."

"…sir…"

"What is it Didain?"

"Look ahead sir."

All Xarrha could see were countless slipspace ruptures. Hundreds of carriers, cruisers, and destroyers coming into normal space. All Forerunner.

"…father…"

There was a flash, a short but incredibly blinding flash.

"…Sanctus…how many ships are there now…"

"Scanning…I count one-thousand eight-hundred and twenty-two ships all belonging to us, and 1 Covenant vessel."

After a long pause there was another flash, this one was dimmer than the last.

"Make that zero Covenant ships commander; you also have a high priority message from the palace. The emperor has requested your presence."

"Understood Sanctus…Seirha take us in, I'll be in my quarters."

"Yes sir."

* * *

June 3, 2562

Planet: Avalon

Location: Chamber of the High Council of Avalon

As Xarrha entered the council chambers he saw a lone creature being questioned by his father and several councilors, his confusion broke by his fathers anger.

"INSOLENT CREATURE!!"

Xarrha witnessed the frail creature thrown back by a gravitic shockwave emitted by the emperor's palm.

"Do not attempt to defy me."

The emperors words were long and drawn out, Xarrha have never seen his father in this temperament before.

"100,000 years ago we ruled this galaxy; our empire was peaceful, and just. When we chose to use the rings, we spared several species that were not yet affected by the flood, species we thought had potential. We left countless other worlds, worlds we left for you because the flood had ravaged everything else! This is how you repay us? By casting genocide on our descendants!?"

The emperors voice boomed through the chamber as he slowly walked toward the horrified creature. Xarrha held his voice, too nervous to interrupt, he had asked around and found out this creature was called a "San 'Shyuum," a leader of the covenant. Its name was Atonement.

"Prophet of Atonement, I have many questions for you…"

Xarrha could see the prophets eyes filled with pure terror.

"…and you WILL answer them."


	5. Chapter 5: First Contact

Chapter 5

**First Contact**

August 1, 2562

Planet: New Eden, Sigma Ceti II, UNSC Fringe Space

New Eden shone in the bright blue light of her parent star Sigma Ceti II, her oceans and planes glistening from the soothing celestial guardian. This peace would not last however.

The small task force of USNC ships above New Eden was surprised when a relatively small group of covenant ships entered normal space near the moon, what was most peculiar though, was the fact they seemed to be fleeing from something. Commander of the group and captain of the Valley Forge, Marathon class Cruiser, Captain Henry Archer began analyzing the situation.

"Stargazer how many covvies do we have?"

Valley Forge's AI materialized in a gold mist of holographic particles.

"Captain I count 30 covenant ships, 25 CCS-Class battle cruisers and 5 assault carriers, all of them hastily moving towards New Eden, but the planet does NOT appear to be their actual objective sir."

"How strange…"

Archer's task force only had 10 ships, 2 heavy cruisers including the Valley Forge, 6 frigates and 2 carriers; not exactly the wanted strength to face any covenant force. Normally Archer could utilize the frigates speed against larger covenant vessels, but this time he was too out numbered.

"Sir…"

Communications officer Harris had a sense of intrigue in his voice when alerting the commander.

"What is it Harris?"

"I'm detecting abnormal communication bands coming from slipspace-"

Harris was interrupted by CIC officer Hernandez panicked tone.

"Captain!! Slip space rupture directly off our bow, between us and the covenant fleet!!"

"What!?"

A massive rupture formed 50 kilomters ahead of the Valley Forger. A Covenant ship did not exit the rupture, the design was angular, stream lined and very aggressive; above all it was big, twice the size of the Valley Forge. Even further ahead the covenant fleet began to scatter.

"Captain the lead assault carrier is firing on the unknown vessel!!"

"Harris run that unknown ships energy signature with all known contacts in our database!! Helmsman back us off ten kilometers!!

Two plasma torpedos raced towards the unknown vessel at alarming speeds.

"Captain it's going to make contact!!"

On the ships view screen everyone saw both torpedos violently shutter and warp around the ship and off into space.

"Stargazer! What just happened!"

"The plasma torpedoes appear to have been…deflected sir…"

"Captain I have a match!!"

"What do you have for me Harris?!"

"Sir that ships energy signature matches perfectly with the Prophet of Truths Dreadnaught encountered on Earth 10 years ago!! That ship is _Forerunner_!!!"

Harris was quickly broken by Stargazers alert.

"Captain, that ship is charging weapons."

Out ahead of the Valley Forge, the Forerunner ship banked towards the Covenant fleet, 4 batteries on the hull hummed a deep blue, then fired. Four searing plasma lances sparked across the sky, making contact with four carriers. Six battle cruisers too close to the lead ships were vaporized in the ensuing explosions. Captain Archer stood from his chair in awe.

"…my god.."

"Captain, that ship is broadcasting a message to that fleet, I've intercepted it and am able to put it on speakers."

"Do it."

A young but stern voice boomed over the speakers:

"You claim to worship us, yet caste genocide on our children,

You are our enemy.

You abuse technology which you have stolen,

You lay false judgment on the chosen of the galaxy,

You have forsaken the guardians of the Mantle,

You will be swept away by our unforgiving Wrath,

For we are your enemy."

For a few moments Archer was speechless, attempting to fully understand the situation, but his concentration was quickly broken by another alert from Stargazer.

"Captain! Ten more slipspace ruptures are forming around the Covenant fleet!! Two ruptures directly in front of our task force!!"

"Give me FLEETCOM…"

"Ready Sir"

FLEETCOM//Directory -Valley Forge-

"_This is Captain Archer of the Valley Forge, all ships hold fire and stand-by, I repeat, HOLD FIRE."_

The ships that exited the ruptures look very similar to the original unknown, Forerunner but smaller, Archer had guessed they were Cruiser and the original was either a Carrier or a Battle Ship. Ahead of the task force the two Forerunner ships closest to the task forced banked around and join the formation, behind Valley Forge. Farther out, the entire Covenant Fleet was consumed in a series of blinding flashes until they were no more.

The first Forerunner ship turned around and quickly approached the Valley Forge stopping a few hundred meters off her bow.

"Captain that ship is transmitting a message to our fleet, audio only!"

Again the same voice came over the comm.

"It seems the guardians...need guardians...you have much to learn."

And with that all the Forerunner vessels quietly enter slipspace and disappeared off the fleet's sensors.

"…Orders sir?"

"Take us into low Orbit helmsman…HIGHCOM needs to hear about this…Stargazer?"

"Aye sir?"

"Prepare a detailed report, audio and visual accounts included please."

"Aye sir."

* * *

I apologize for the lack of update. Writers block can be a real pain. I'd really appreciate some reviews. .;


	6. Chapter 6: Wrath of The Forerunner

Chapter 6

**Wrath of the Forerunner**

August 5th, 2562

Location: High Charity, Covenant Holy City

The Prophet of Vengeance was hysterical, it had been over a month since he sent out a small fleet to deal with the humans impersonating as the Forerunners; he hadn't heard anything.

Around High Charity orbited his new fleet, The Fleet of Unyielding Faith. 500 ships strong, she was even stronger than the fleet belonging to the Prophet of Truth when he first invaded Earth, and began the civil war. It was almost time for the Covenant to take its revenge on the Sangheili and the humans, that is, until the humans forged this new treachery, claiming themselves as Forerunners.

"Enough of this, I need to calm down"

The prophet began to re-compose himself, he would leave soon to look over the dig of a new Forerunner ruin site, supposedly the largest one discovered in this age. He would have to worry about the missing ships later. The prophet pulled out a tea globe and activated it, and began inhaling its herbal fumes. When he was finished he left his chambers and slowly made his way to his super carrier, Holy Destiny.

* * *

August 5th, 2562

Location: Kehndall Fleet Yards, Septimus System

Xarrha turned a corner and came to a long hallway; on the left were view ports where he could see out into space. All he saw however were countless Forerunner ships. Long Dreadnaughts armed to the teeth, plasma batteries along its dorsal hull, its trademark ventral spire stretching out and down of the bow. Cruisers, battleships, and carriers marked by their low command towers, sleek port and starboard wings; battle ships looking more like cousins to the dreadnaughts though.

In the rear was his ship, the Harbinger. The Harbinger was an Ascender class Assault Carrier armed with 4 plasma batteries, 2 on her forward hull and 2 on her command tower. She was also armed with a single artillery cannon behind the two forward plasma batteries which she had never used before. It was a twin barreled plasma cannon which was directly link to the primary plasma conduit in the core of the ship; the plasma this cannon projected was twice as hot and dense than Harbingers regular batteries.

Aft of the ship on the back of the command tower were a series of ports for slower firing "plasma missiles." Another weapon the Harbinger has yet to take advantage of. The artillery battery was nicknamed the "Apsahlus" cannon and the plasma missile ports the "Nova" array. Xarrha wondered if they could be used in the upcoming battle, he doubted they would because of the sheer size of the fleet.

"Sanctus, are you with me?"

"Always, Commander."

"What has my father named this new fleet?"

"He's named it, The Fleet of Eternal Freedom, commander."

"Hmmm…somewhat appropriate considering our past…Sanctus transport me to the bridge of the Harbinger, it's about time to begin the operation."

"Of course commander."

And with that Xarrha was instantly teleported to the bridge of the Harbinger, upon arriving he looked around, everyone giving him nods of confirmation of what's ahead.

"Sanctus, take us there."

The Harbinger and the Harbinger alone entered a slip space rupture, leaving the rest of the fleet behind…for now.

* * *

August 5th, 2562

Location: High orbit above High Charity, Covenant Holy City

The Prophet of Vengeance was on the command bridge of his super carrier, Holy Destiny when an alarm rang out.

"We do not have time for any distractions, what in the galaxy is going on?!"

"Noble prophet, we are detecting a slip space rupture 100 kilometers off our bow, unknown signature.

The grunt's voice was quivering with fear and confusion, the fact that the Jiralhanae ship master began to approach him didn't ease the situation.

"On the main screen!!"

The Brutes orders were heavy and annoyed. Out of the rupture came the Harbinger, calmly easing forward out of the inter-dimensional gateway, and stopped.

"Your holiness we're being hailed by that ship."

"What!? Fine open a channel."

The prophet came face to face with what he thought was a human, this one however seemed…different…its eyes aglow with a blue-grey tint, his disposition was that of anger, a calm but stern anger.

"Noble Prophet, that ship is transmitting this across local space!"

"But why!?"

"My name is Xarrha K'Taurn, Sovereign heir of the Forerunner Empire; I wish to make a declaration to The Covenant Empire. For the past 37 years you have been at war with Humanity, the Reclaimers. When we left this galaxy 100,000 years ago, we left it in the hands of our descendants to protect it; when we chose to come back we fully expected them to be slowly growing their own fledgling empire across the stars. Instead we found a massive conglomerate casting a war of genocide against them, a war of genocide cast in our name. This war must stop here and now, this is your final warning. Disarm and disband this Covenant, your leaders will be taken to our Emperor and they alone will be tried for the horrendous crimes they have committed. If you do not surrender I cannot guarantee the freedom of the rest of you."

Outraged the Prophet of Vengeance hovered close to the screen.

"You insolent vermin, how dare you impersonate our forefa-"

"We are your forefathers you fool!! Your species was the first one my grandfathers recommend we spare when we activated the Halo Array!"

"I will have no more of this!"

The Prophet quickly closed the channel

"Fire on that ship immediately!!!"

A single plasma torpedo shot out from a port plasma battery on the super carrier, quickly making its way to the Harbinger. Xarrha however stood his ground.

"What a fool, will he not try and evade it?"

The Shipmaster voice chuckled in confidence as the torpedo homed on to its target. To the surprise of everyone the torpedo was instantaneously deflected away from the harbinger.

"What just happened!?"

Xarrha once again opened a video channel.

"We have given you fair warning, because of your foolish actions you will now all suffer."

The screen went black; a Kig-yar sitting at a command station squawked a new alert.

"Ship master, were detecting massive Gravitic distortion across local space!"

On the main screen the Prophet saw slip space ruptures slowly open around the Harbinger and throughout local space. The first ones to open let loose massive Forerunner Dreadnaughts, their hulls glowing with intensity. The prophet was expecting a flew of perhaps a few hundred, but he was wrong.

They kept coming.

It would be a full half hour until the ruptures stopped appearing, the local space was covered in a massive cloud of forerunner vessels, all of them staring down High Charity and Holy Destiny. The prophet nervously looked over to the Kig-yar.

"…How many ships are there…"

"T-ten thousand vessels!!!!"

The ship master walked backwards towards the prophet.

"..By the rings!!!"

"Were also detecting hundreds of thousands of smaller attack craft!!"

The Holy Destiny's main view screen activated, only this time there was a large figure, clad in heavy armor, his visor angrily staring at the prophet.

"You have been warned time and time again. Your presence will no longer be tolerated. You have thrown the galaxy into an age of darkness it has never seen since the Great Infection, you slay our children in our name; you defile and abuse our technology and relics. You have no one to blame but yourselves for such insolence. You have invoked the wrath of the forerunner; your end will be swift and absolute."

On the bridge of the dreadnaught, Infinite Resolve, Emperor Harken K'Taurn gave the final orders as the Fleet of Unyielding Faith hastily organized in front of High Charity, his voice booming over FLEETCOM.

"All ships….open fire!!"

The Fleet of Eternal Freedom glowed an angry red, and then countless plasma lances shot out, vaporizing a few hundred ships instantly. The Covenant fleet began to scatter in terror.

Thousands of cruisers and destroyer flotillas raced forward slicing apart covenant ships as they surrounded the Prophets super carrier. Covenant seraph fighters, phantoms, and boarding craft were vaporized by the hellish angry swarms of AEGIS units and forerunner fighter craft.

With their weapons bouncing off ALL Forerunner vessels, the fleet tried to transition to slip space, but was quickly stopped by the Forerunner dreadnaughts guarding the edges of battle with their Gravitic Well Generators, quickly stopping all attempts at slip space. In a matter of seconds the Fleet of Unyielding Faith was totally and utterly annihilated, leaving only the Holy Destiny and High Charity.

On the bridge of the Holy Destiny, the Prophet began to break down in panic and terror, unggoy and Kig-yar fleeing. The prophet looked up as the Emperor teleported onto the bridge in front of him. Vengeance quickly fell out of his chair crawling to the door. The Shipmaster brought his gravity hammer to and attempted a swing at the Emperor; Harken quickly grabbed and snapped its handle without even flinching. He turned to the Jiralhanae and kicked him into the hull platting, utterly crushing the Brute.

Harken grabbed the prophet by his robe and held him up, the prophet mumbling a small phrase.

"Y-you are…Forerunner…"

"Join the flood in extinction."

The Emperors words were cold and final as he teleported the prophet out into deep space with his belt transmitter. Vengeance instantly imploded due to the lack of oxygen and pressure. Harken quickly teleported back to Infinite Resolve.

"Aim the ship directly at that station, activate Impact."

Impact was the aptly name positron assault cannon that laid the majority length of the Infinite Resolve. Its massive charging rings glowed an intense gold in open space as sections of the ship spread to let the gun charge.

"Your highness, we're at 94% capacity, were approaching the critical mass mark!"

"…FIRE!!!"

A massive beam of red and orange particles glowing with the intensity of a small sun raced across the starts towards High Charity. As it made contact, the station began to disintegrate from the epicenter out, until it was out matched by the station detonating in a beautiful stellar display of blue and green.

"Open a comm. Channel with my son."

"Understood my lord."

Xarrha quickly appeared on screen with a calm but nervous look about him.

"That was a bit….hot don't you think?"

"Indeed….sorry you didn't get much of a chance their my son."

"It's alright father, let's head home, we need to plan how we're going to make proper contact with Humanity."

The screen dematerialized as the Emperor stood from his chair.

"Helmsman take home…"

"Right away your highness."

The Fleet of Eternal Freedom slowly but surely slipped away leaving the local space with small traces of particle debris from the battle.

Unrenowned to the Forerunner fleet however, in polar orbit above the planet high charity was near…was a stealthed human Prowler, who had been observing the entire event….

* * *

Wow that was long, but on the bright side i think i got rid of my writers block. Reviews please!!  


* * *


	7. Chapter 7: The Fallen Redemption

**Chapter 7**

**The Fallen Redemption**

August 10th 2562

Location: Installation 00, The Ark

Xarrha had a new Task now that the Covenant was eliminated. Outside the Galaxy stood an eternal installation, an empty cradle looking over a galaxy, waiting and watching.

The Ark.

The Harbinger calmly exited slip space above Installation00, its super structure gleaming from the Artificial sun. Seirha had the bridge while Xarrha stood on the observation deck, looking onto the great construct.

"…are you with me…Mendicant…"

With him was his long time companion, Xahnna Vectimus. Xahnna laid his hand on Xarrha's shoulder.

"Xarrha…are you ok?"

"I created him Xahnna, I still cannot believe he turned on us…but he…he is mine all the same."

"I know…but according to the data logs the scout team gave us, he has made amends, and so must you."

Xahnna's words filled Xarrha with warmth and understanding, an effect both of them had on each other ever since they were children. It was 100,000 years ago, in the final throes of the Great Infection when Xarrha created an A.I. that was meant to counter and destroy the flood central intelligence.

The Gravemind. Its name was 05-032 Mendicant Bias.

When Mendicant Bias betrayed the galaxy, it shuttered Xarrha down to his very core. During the final stages of his construction, Xarrha had become close to his creation, and unlike most A.I., Mendicant imprinted himself onto Xarrha.

It was Xarrha who also constructed Offensive Bias. The A.I. charged with stopping the rampant Mendicant. Earlier in the year the Forerunners recovered Offensive Bias on one of their shield worlds, it immediately reported to Xarrha and the Council what had transpired millennia ago. At the debriefing, Offensive Bias played an audio log; in the log the Council heard all of Offensive Bias' observations and interpretations at Mendicants rampancy. All Xarrha heard was Mendicants screams as he was being deconstructed.

Xarrha turned around to face Xahnna.

"I'm bringing him back."

"I've always been by your side Xarrha, and that won't ever change, if you want, I can come to the surface with you."

"No Xahnna, this is something I need to do myself."

"I understand, but please call if you run into some unexpected problems."

Xahnna's words kept repeating in Xarrha's head as he made his way through Harbingers AEGIS bay. AEGIS's were considered new technology for the Forerunner war machine, the first and prototype AEGIS was constructed in the last days of the Great Infection. Because of the looming crisis of the Covenant, Xarrha was given that AEGIS after it was recovered. The machine's designation was AFG-00AG1.

Xarrha had named it Avalon, after their new home world.

The standard aegis is 14 meters tall, with a fairly generic armor design, Avalon however was different, and it stood a good 2 meters taller than any other unit. As Xarrha passed the squad commanders AEGIS he saw it. Avalon was a tall, silver guardian still in a great slumber. Its key features were its signature wings, seven blade like feathers on each wing. Attached to the back of these wings was another key feature, Sentinels. Avalon was equipped with 14 Sentinel Interceptors, capable of devastating attacks from all directions, Xarrha was the only person shown to handle the incredible metal strain caused by controlling these sentinels.

As Xarrha entered the cockpit, he hovered is hand over a large orb in the center console. Outside, Avalon slowly hummed to life as its eyes flashed once. Two bay doors closed behind Avalon as it made its way to the linear catapult. With a flash, Avalon rocketed out of the bay and away from the Harbinger. Its silver wings cut the air as it thundered into the atmosphere of The Ark. In the cockpit, in the corner view screen, the AEGIS OS read what Avalon really was.

"Operations engaged…Guardian Unilateral Neural Drive Assault Module is active, all systems nominal."

"…Gundam…what an odd name…"

The sky was a clear blue as Avalon burst through the clouds, its eyes aglow with an intense gold. Several maintenance sentinels looked skyward as Avalon left a sonic boom above them.

"I'm bring you back Mendicant…you belong with us again!

As Avalon burst over a mountain range, Xarrha eyed a massive spire in the center of a valley. Around the spire was an installation, from the air it looked like a giant eye, metal rings and columns that stared at the sky. Avalon dipped down towards the structure racing a top the trees. Avalon quickly came to a quick but gentle stop in front of the entrance to the installations command center. All around were sentinels of every type staring at Xarrha as he left Avalon's cockpit and made his way to the main door.

Before he could take another step a glowing orb teleported in front of him, it took a few seconds but Xarrha instantly recognized it as a Monitor when the particles faded.

"Why hello! I am 1572798 Sudden Clarity, how may I-"

The Monitor stopped mid sentence as it quickly observed Xarrha.

"Oh my goodness! Master K'Taurn, it is such a pleasure to see you!"

"Indeed it has Clarity…the last time I saw you I was but a child. I see that at some point you were chosen as the caretaker of this facility."

"Why yes, this is sub-installation 286 a primary, observation, research, and development center here on The Ark. By your presence I take it the rest of the Forerunners that went into exile are back, what can I do for you?"

"Several months ago we retrieved Offensive Bias; his information stated that 05-032 Mendicant Bias is in this facility, I need to see Mendicant at once."

"Master K'Taurn…I'm afraid Mendicant is in confinement for his actions in the past, considering what it-

"He…"

"…considering what he has done, why would you want to see him?"

"I intend to re-construct what he has lost, and to confirm the redemption he deserves."

"Master K'Taurn I highly doubt what he did during the Battle of The Ark reconciles for what-"

"He aided our descendants in preventing the escape of the flood and the un-necessary activation of the Halo Array, he also attempted to escape the clutches of the Covenant at the beginning of the war to warn and aid the humans. Take me to him. Now"

Xarrha's words were aggressive and straight forward, Clarity looked at the installation then back at Xarrha.

"…As you wish, Master K'Taurn…"

In and instant Xarrha was teleported to an octagonal room that had several angular booms sticking out from the corners. In the center was a data core; inside that core was Mendicant Bias.

* * *

**Everyone I am SO terribly sorry for this MASSIVE lag in update, I was recently able to return to the Halo Custom Edition community and I've been bogged down by that. Some of you may instantly recognize some elements from entirely different genre's in this chapter, I apologise if you do not like or agree with their integration, but from the very start it was my intention to make my story this way. This does not however mean that I will not accept advice and constructive criticism. Please continue with reviews, any support is appreciated. Stay tuned for the next chapter.**


	8. Chapter 8: Return From Exile

**Chapter 8**

**Return from Exile**

August 10th 2562

Location: Installation 00, Sub-installation 286

Xarrha calmly approached the data core, as he prepared to link his neural ace, Sudden Clarity chimed in.

"Master K'Taurn, if at any moment I feel you are in danger, I will have to terminate subject 05-032."

"You will do no such thing because he will not harm me."

"Often times I swear you are just as foolish as the Reclaimers, very well."

As Xarrha connected to the data core, his mind was instantly transported to a large white room; there were no windows, no furniture, just and empty white box. In the corner sat 05-032 Mendicant Bias.

His avatar was that of a young man with wavy brown hair, draped in a ceremonial forerunner coat, its shoulder padding bearing the K'Taurn family emblem, 2 wings overlapped by a sword and shield in the center; under the emblem the text read:

Sapientia quod Vires, which meant Wisdom and Strength.

There was a long pause before either of them said anything; Xarrha was the first to speak.

"…Are you with me Mendicant."

Startled by those words Mendicant stood up with his fists by his side, staring at Xarrha with a glare filled with unimaginable pain.

"…Xarrha…I…"

"You feel pain, and sorrow, a horrendous pain, do you not?"

"Why are you here!? I committed something terrible, I was caste into exile after Offensive Bias deconstructed me…you shouldn't be here!"

"I am here because of your redemption, and because I want you back!"

Xarrha walked forward, tears falling down his face.

"It was because of me that the entire forerunner empire was caste down and nearly pushed to extinction!!"

"It was also because of you, that millennia later the Reclaimers saved the galaxy from the Flood and prevented the extinction of all sentient life in the galaxy, and in the process, you achieved an existence even greater than you once were. Mendicant you can feel pain, no artificial intelligence should ever feel any emotion."

"Xarrha…"

"You are no longer an artificial intelligence; you are now a synthetic being. You have full consciousness; you feel emotions, Mendicant you can even cry."

Unbeknownst to mendicant he was actually crying. Xarrha slowly reached out his hand.

"You belong with us again, you belong with me. My father personally asked me, to ask you ba-"

"Harken!? But why?"

"My father is a very passionate and understanding man mendicant, it's time you re-met him. I cannot make you come back with me; you have a right to do as you please now. I will make you a new shell for you freely move, and after that you can do whatever you want. But I do ask if you will please join us."

Mendicant seemed confused and flustered, Xarrha though had a gleaming smile on his face.

"Are you with me? Mendicant Bias?

Without missing a beat Mendicant grabbed Xarrha's hand.

"Always, Xarrha. Always."

* * *

August 10, 2562

Location: Installation 00, low orbit

First Officer Seirha was speaking to Didain about sensor adjustments when Didain's screen began flashing several warnings.

"What…slipspace ruptures!?"

"Yes sir, I count 50 ruptures…they're Covenant!!"

"Where are they Didain?"

"Directly on the other side of the Installation sir!!"

"What classification? Sanctum prepare for battle, all hands to your stations!"

"19 Assault Carriers, 20 battle cruisers and 1 super carrier!"

"Didain, contact the commander they're too far out of range for us to reach them in time for intercept!"

"Aye sir!!"

* * *

August 10, 2562

Location: Installation 00, Sub-installation 286

As Xarrha disconnected from the data core, he held Mendicants data chip closely. He stepped through a door way to an unusual hallway. On the sides of the hall there stood 8 large figures, after a quick glimpse Xarrha realized what they were.

"Clarity…"

Sudden Clarity quickly hovered in front of Xarrha.

"Yes master K'Taurn, what can I do for you?"

"When were these completed?"

Clarity turned around, then back to Xarrha.

"The valley guardians? Why just over a few months ago…why?"

"Under whose jurisdiction?"

"Why master K'Taurn…it was yours."

Stunned, Xarrha was unable to give a word.

"Is…there something the matter?"

"No…not at all…take me back to the landing area"

"Right away."

As the teleportation particles cleared, Xarrha quickly boarded Avalon and inserted Mendicant into an AI slot.

"This archetype…is strange…I feel very comfortable in here."

"This is Avalon, it was a weapon developed at the same time you were. You two were meant to operate in tandem, but it wasn't completed in time. We recently have been mass producing lesser versions of it. We call them AEGIS's; this one however is called a Gundam."

"Guardian Unilateral Neural Drive Assault Module…Xarrha are you inter connected with it?

"That IS what Neural Drive means, lets-"

Before he could finish his sentence, Xarrha was interrupted by Avalon's warning systems.

"ATTENTION: UNKNOWN PARTICLE WEAPONRY INBOUND, INITAITING EVASIVE MANUEVERS."

Without missing a beat, Avalon burst its wings open and quickly thrusted backwards toward the valley, in the spot it once stood was a crater splashed with blue scorching plasma. Avalon turned around and looked skywards, its golden eyes a glow with an angry glare. In the cockpit, Xarrha saw a covenant destroyer racing towards him with an escort of seraph fighters, behind it was the covenant fleet; super carrier glowing in The Arks sun.

"How did they find this place? The Covenant should not be here!"

"According to data recovered here a few months ago, the Covenant and the Reclaimers had a massive battle here 10 years ago, the Reclaimers and Covenant separatists were successful. They managed to kill a covenant Prophet. It seems however they managed to find another portal here."

Xarrha pushed the control sticks down and forward, Avalon dropped to one knee then rocketed into the sky flying towards the Covenant destroyer.

"Mendicant I would ask you for tactical support, but we still need to rebuild what you have lost, sit back and watch for now."

"I understand…"

As the Covenant destroyer began to rain down plasma torpedoes onto Avalon, Xarrha effortlessly evaded and passed them. As he got in range, Xarrha fought back. Avalon's palm let loose a golden plasma lance, straight down the center of the destroyer, cutting it in two. Xarrha quickly boosted away before the ship could explode, taking the seraph fighters with it.

As Xarrha began his approach to the main fleet, another one of Avalon's alarms rang out:

"ATTENTION: SLIPSPACE RUPTURE DETECTED, ALLIED ASSAULT CARRIER EXITING GATEWAY."

"Allied carrier? Harbinger?"

In Avalon's cockpit, Xarrha saw the Harbinger exit directly above the, accelerating in front of the AEGIS unit. In a flash, the Harbinger fired all of its armaments at the fleet. The Nova Array easily took out 10 battle cruisers, while the Apsahlus cannon swept across the horizon; it cleared another 9 ships.

* * *

August 10th 2562

Location: AFAC-H101 Harbinger, Bridge

"Plasma batteries, 1-4…fire!!!"

As Seriha's command boomed through the bridge, the covenant super carrier was diced into bits, its explosion vaporizing the rest of the covenant fleet.

"All stop, open the docking bays and prepare for AEGIS docking, Didain, make contact with any constructs on the surface to surmise any damage done from stray plasma bombardment."

"I didn't expect my return to be so…exciting…"

"Oh the excitement has only just begun Mendicant."

Slowly and quietly Avalon docked with the Harbinger, The Ark panning out of view, Xarrha wondered how many more times he would need to return here.

* * *

**Chapter 8 is now finished, once again please read and review. You can expect some traditional Halo characters to make an appearance come chapter 12 at the latest. Until next time readers!**


	9. Chapter 9: Cataclysm

One hundred thousand years ago…we ruled this galaxy.

It was not a rule of dominance or power,

It was a rule of benign prosperity.

For over fifty thousand years we spread across the stars,

Heralding the galaxy under the banner of peace, and unity,

Through our advanced technology, and our noble beliefs,

We all ruled.

We were,

Forerunner.

Chapter 9

**Cataclysm**

October 25, 2562

Planet: New Eden, Sigma Ceti II System

Location: Altar Mountains, UNSC Secret CASTLE II Base

Alarms rang throughout the base, as Captain Archer raced towards the command center, he heard the base AI Jericho over the loud speakers.

"Attention all personnel, Condition Red, Winter Contingency has been announced. Repeat. Condition Red, Winter Contingency has been announced."

As Archer stormed into the command center, several other commanders and captains were on a top platform with the base commander, he quickly diverted his attention to the screen to see well over 600 covenant ships in high orbit above the planet.

"That's impossible, I thought the covenant didn't have anymore resources like this."

The earth rumbled around them. On the screen, sections of the altar mountains slide to the side of the range. What emerged had Archer speechless. Hidden beneath the mountain range the UNSC had hidden several Super MAC platforms. Each platform was capable of of full 180 degree motion on all axes. The 3 forward ships in the Covenant fleet appeared to halt and turn in a sudden shock as their sensors picked up the familiar energy readings from the cannons.

Several workers were still evacuating from the space docks several kilometers away from the base, the sky cracked and thunder erupted from the barrels of the Super MAC cannons. In a near instant a sonic boom louder than anything the workers had ever heard enveloped the dock yard. Standard structures and maintenance building windows exploded from the shock wave. The forward assault carriers' shields rippled, imploded and shattered; a 3,000 ton slug tore through the carrier like it was an aluminum sheet. The bow crumpled and detonated in a blazing display of purple and orange fire. As the round exited the atmosphere, it also tore through a destroyer near center fleet. The destroyer detonated and caught 2 corvettes in the explosion, the rest of the fleet slightly scattered to avoid the debris. One of the Battle cruisers took a round and hit amidships, cracking the ship in two.

"Sweet holy god." said one of the dock workers.

The Super MACs fire, again a massive thunderous crack enveloped the sky, this time the MAC cannons targeted the Battle cruiser attempting to regroup with the Covenant Fleet. One round hit dead center on the reactor and the ship plumed into a purple cloud of plasma, four other rounds left the atmosphere and struck an assault carrier on the "neck bridge." Another round nailed a super carrier on a starboard bulbous wing and caused the carrier to reel to the right, impacting 3 corvettes and a destroyer.

The smaller ships detonated, the plasma engulfed sections of the super carrier, effectively putting it out of commission.

"Commander!"

Archers tone was relieve but nervous.

"Can we hold for long using those cannons? They've never encountered them groundside before, hell this is the first time I'm seeing this myself."

"The Covenant fleet is still at a good distance, the idea behind placing them planet side is to prevent boarding teams from doing their usual thing, we tend to win more groundside anyway. The Super MACs are fortified like you wouldn't believe as well, I doubt even a Spartan could get in those MAC bunkers.

"I hope you're right Commander…"

There was a deep sense of anxiety in Archers voice, the closest UNSC fleet was 13 hours away, and even then they only had 200 ships to counter the Covenants 600.

Without warning a shrill alarm rang throughout the command center.

"Jericho, what's going on!"

"Attention all personnel: multiple Slipspace ruptures detected in atmosphere! I repeat multiple Slipspace ruptures detected in atmosphere!"

On the main screen a flotilla of Corvettes exited the dimensional gateways and began racing for the CASTLE II site.

"They're too fast, they're going to pass under the MAC cannons' firing arc!"

The commander's voice shuttered with anxiety and terror. As the commander was about to speak again, another alarm sounded. On the left screen Several bars indicating radiation levels began to spike.

"Warning! Warning! Atomic excitement detected in local airspace! Positron density is detected at Indigo Charlie 289!"

The main view screen switched to a lake about 40 kilometers to the northeast of the base, a single Forerunner ship hovered over the still lake, it's dorsal cannon aglow with an angry red hue.

"That's the same ship that defended this system several months ago when the Covenant first arrive!"

Relieved and worried at the same time, Archer wondered why it was here again, and why was it emitting radiation found from anti-matter sources.

* * *

October 25, 2562

Planet: New Eden, Sigma Ceti II System

Location: Control Bridge of the AAC-H101 Harbinger, Ascender Class Assault Carrier.

"Commander, positron density is reaching critical levels. We can't maintain this charge for long, the Apsahlus Cannons' structural integrity will begin to fail."

"I know Sanctus, Bias do we have a targeting solution yet?"

"As best as I can make it, remember positrons are affected by the planets gravity, rotation and its magnetic field, I've taken all the necessary calculations but there still is some measure of unpredictability to consider."

"Understood, all damage crews stand by….FIRE!"

The sky around the Harbinger billowed and gave way to a massive shockwave as a hellish crimson beam launched from the Apsahlus Cannons' firing ring. On the ground a shrill piercing boom could be heard from all the valleys around CASTLE II base as the beam made contact with the Covenant Corvette in the center of the formation. At the epicenter of the blast the Corvette "dematerialized" from the impact point out, the positrons colliding with and annihilating the electrons in the atoms of the Corvettes hull. Within seconds the center valley was engulfed in a massive wave of heat and blast of air, hundreds of acres of trees were incinerated on ground level. The Corvette flotilla itself was consumed in a massive fireball. Several of the Super MAC cannons in close proximity to the blast began to fail from the heat wave.

"Jericho, status report!"

"Base integrity holding at 97.3%. However, Several Super MAC platforms have sustained damage, the Corvette formation has been destroyed. Also, the Covenant fleet is starting to retreat to a higher orbit. Commander, that ship matched with known energy signatures in my database. It is the same ship as per Archers report several months ago, it is Forerunner."

"Archer! Did they ever use that weapon in their last engagement!"

"No commander…just standard plasma lances'…"

"That power is incredible…can we trust them?"

"I'm not entirely sure sir…they seem intent on keeping us alive…but I just don't know…

* * *

**Wow that was a long wait between chapters wasn't it? Real life can be very annoying sometimes. Reviews please! I fear I have gotten rusty!**


	10. Chapter 10: Ten Thousand Suns

Chapter 10

**Ten Thousand Suns**

October 25, 2562

Planet: New Eden, Sigma Ceti II System

Location: Altar Mountains, Battle of New Eden

For an Assault Carrier the Harbinger was exceptionally fast, she raced across the valley at an alarming speed, a sonic boom echoed and billowed away from her wings as she breached the sound barrier; only tens of meters above the tree canopy. As she approached the 2 Super MAC cannons on direct sides of the CASTLE II base she gained altitude and banked hard to port, placing herself directly in front of and above the base. Close to 50 kilometers away another Covenant Assault Carrier leading a small task force had broken through the MAC cannon volleys. In tandem the two cannons guarding the base let loose two cracks of thunder, one round slammed dead center of a destroyer on the flank of the formation, the other clawed a fissure in the side of a battle cruiser, ramming the cruiser into another. As all 3 ships detonated in a plume of plasma and ash, the formation maintained a steadfast speed; in response the Harbinger fired both of her forward plasma batteries. The searing white blue lances made contact with several ships and slowly carved their way to the assault carrier. Just before the lances made contact with the carrier, it launched hundreds of Phantom and Spirit drop ships.

It was a ground fight now.

Harbingers Bridge was as hectic as ever, alarms sounding, officers exchanging information and the commander himself shouting orders, Sanctus helped to break the commotion…only to start another.

"Alert! Commander, Covenant ground forces have landed, they're quickly approaching the Reclaimers base!"

"Raise the ship 300 meters and prepare for Sentinel launch! Bias how many drop ships are there?"

Pressing his hand to his forehead, Bias quickly attuned Harbingers sensors to the surrounding valley. Instantly, his vision was a dull blue, a shrill ping echoed the entire battlefield highlighting the drop ships.

"Commander, I count well over 250 Phantoms and Spirits, all inbound to the stronghold, they're advancing along the bases' North-West and Western perimeter, it appears some of them are going to try and take one of the cannons offline."

"Understood, bring Sentinel battalion 3 online and drop them into combat, calibrate IFF protocols and identify the humans as friendly forces, primary objective is the destruction of all Covenant soldiers, secondary objective is to capture the Covenant Field Marshall leading this army!"

"Aye Aye Commander!"

Sanctus and Mendicant Bias' words were in perfect unison as they began working, their commands and communiqués overlapping and flowing together in Harbingers local COMNET. Ever since Bias was let into Harbingers systems, the ship ran nearly ten-fold faster. Sanctus had objected at first, but now the two were nearly inseparable.

Several ports opened on Harbingers belly, within seconds hundreds of sentinels poured like a river out of the ship and raced across the forest. Unlike their cousins that guarded the Halo Array, these sentinels were far more deadly. The battalion was compromised of varying sentinels, the most notable were the "Onyx" sentinels the humans had encountered on the appropriate planet years ago, formations of them glided with their eyes an angry crimson glow. The other was the Sentinel Interceptor, more resembling their Halo Array cousins. On the interceptors dorsal and ventral frame were 6 stabilizer fins angled back, 3 on top 3 on bottom; the fins could be energized to become deadly blades if deemed necessary. Primary weaponry however, like the Onyx Sentinel, was a powerful plasma projector on the Sentinels "eye," and just like the Onyx Sentinel, these were fast…VERY fast.

As they raced through the forest, the Sentinels evaded the trees with such precision they were nothing but blurs to the unaware. Without warning a small group of jackals were vaporized by a formation of the Onyx drones; right behind them were the interceptors who began engaging a larger Covenant group lead by Brutes and Hunters.

The Interceptors moved like frenzied sharks, darting in the air, in confusing lines so the troops couldn't get a bead. Each sentinel paused and fired a volley before returning to its evasive maneuvers. It was like watching a swarm of hornets angered by an attack on their hive. Within moments the Covenant platoon was wiped out, the Interceptors continued towards the CASTLE II base.

Half a click a way from the closest MAC cannon, a platoon of Brutes, Jackals, and grunts marched ever closer. This group however had armor support; Wraith tanks echoed a deep hum as they dredged their way to the human strong hold. When they got in range their armatures arched up and billowed out heavy rounds of burning plasma. Without missing a beat nearly 30 Interceptors darted in front of the plasma mortars, their eyes flashed a hot white, their stabilizer fins rotated directly vertical to their frames, and a massive crystalline energy shield materialized in front of the sentinels. The mortars made contact with the shield, quickly dissipating, and the sentinels unaffected by the mortar shockwaves.

Bursting from behind the Interceptors, a formation of Onyx Sentinels tightened formation and began to interlink until 4 massive floating "super" sentinels, each one taking the shape of a giant equilateral triangle. The super sentinels glided and banked until they locked on, white hot lances of heated plasma erupted from the focusing booms of the constructs finding their targets. Wraiths vaporized into clouds of ash along with the surrounding hapless infantry.

* * *

October 25, 2562

Planet: New Eden, Sigma Ceti II System.

Location: Control Bridge of the AAC-H101 Harbinger, Ascender Class Assault Carrier

"Commander."

"What is it Bias?"

"We've got a problem."

"…And just what is this problem…"

Sarcasm had taken a hold of Xarrha's voice as he nodded toward the battlefield, his wavy auburn hair flicking in response. Sanctus' hologram materialized next to Bias as they gave the sitrep.

"Commander our analysis of the battle has brought to light several key facts. The first being that at least 100 Covenant warships have breached the atmosphere while the rest of the fleet has backed off a considerable distance from the planet, they have taken heavy casualties from the heavy cannons, we estimate they've lost roughly 132 ships since the fighting broke out. However we are hard pressed, we are only one ship, the nearest reinforcements will arrive in 2-3 hours. The biggest problem lies in our defenses, in order to keep the human base intact we need to keep as close to it as possible, but if we do that we cannot use the Magnetic Distortion Field."

Xarrha's eyes began to dart left and right trying to calculate the reason as to grasp why, unable to find an answer he demanded one from his AI's.

"Elaborate…"

Sanctus in a nervous tone continued the rest of the report.

"Considering the properties the field has on covenant weaponry, it would warp their plasma torpedoes at such extreme angles that at our current altitude would cause them to impact allied fortifications at 48.6 percent of the time. By the time reinforcements' got here, there wouldn't be anything to defend."

"Damn it, tactical analysis of our armor and their weaponry."

"Commander the materials used to construct ANYTHING of forerunner is of a greater magnitude than that of any covenant warship, but Commander it is PLASMA. We could survive maybe 10 or more round before the ship was put out of commission, at heavy casualties."

"I see, thank you Sanctus."

Before the Commander could ponder this anymore, Mendicant interrupted him with a proximity warning.

"Covenant battle group detected on an assault trajectory…Warning! I count 3 plasma torpedoes inbound, recommend immediate action!"

"Evade! Hard to starboard, burst our aft engines, get those torpedoes to overshoot! Charge plasma batteries 1 and 3 and fire at will! Officer Tielha, activate jamming protocols, disrupt the magnetic field around those torpedoes so they can't double back!"

Harbingers hull groaned at the stress from the sudden burst of speed, the plasma torpedoes arced over Harbinger into the clear sky; moments later the torpedoes plasma blossomed into bright explosions.

"Commander the magnetic fields have been dispersed, I'll be ready for further action."

The young officer had a look of concern that was shared by everyone on the bridge, her sapphire eyes however, didn't once look away from her screen. Xarrha admired her determination, she and everyone else would need it.


	11. Chapter 11: The Meaning of Sacrifice

Chapter 11

**The Meaning of Sacrifice**

October 25, 2562

Planet: New Eden, Sigma Ceti II System

Location: Altar Mountains, Battle of New Eden

Plasma washed over Harbingers' forward bow, her platinum like hull burned bright red. Because of her proximity to the CASTLE II base, she couldn't use her Magnetic Distortion field to deflect plasma weaponry. As she brushed off the attack, a spark of blue energy erupted from Harbingers number two plasma battery, the lance burned through a Battle cruiser that had just given her the new wound. From behind her bridge a series of plasma turrets arced loose several plasma "missiles" that homed in and riddled a Covenant Assault Carrier and her destroyer escorts. This was the Nova Array, it shot slow moving plasma that could be controlled like the Covenant, unlike the Covenant however the plasma was denser and harder hitting.

"Atmospheric and Life Support systems on forward decks A through F are malfunctioning; temperature has risen to three-hundred-ten degrees Kelvin. Several crew members have sustained burn injuries and damage crews have begun to put out internal fire. Data processing coming from that section has been reduced by thirty-seven percent."

"Thank you Sanctus, Med bay this is Commander K'Taurn, prepare to take the injured and stand by for further orders."

"Commander 65 more Covenant ships have breached the atmosphere, the human defenses are almost gone as well. The Sentinels have done they're best but 20 of the 38 planetary guns are gone…."

Mendicant Bias nervously pondered for a brief moment.

"Commander I do not believe this is a battle we can win…"

"Yes I understand that, but we do NOT have the luxury of retreating under any circumstance. Seirha give me ship comm…."

Xarrha's calm but firm voice crackled over the intercom.

"This is Commander Xarrha K'Taurn, as you are aware by now we are in a very tough spot. The only thing between one of the last Reclaimer strongholds and total annihilation is this ship. So many millennia ago we were the caretakers of this galaxy, but no longer. We have been reduced from a galaxy spanning empire to nothing but a fraction on a world drifting out in an almost empty void. The Reclaimers are our hope now. Everything up until this point has been done for their sake, for our memory and the survival of the galaxy. That duty is now theirs, but unless we can at least hold off this rampaging monster they call the Covenant until our home fleet arrives, then all hope is lost. What I ask of you now is probably the hardest thing I will ever have to do. I ask that until ordered otherwise, you stand with me here and now, to ensure the continued existence of something far greater than yourself…a greater good for this galaxy…"

Xarrha walked forward away from his command chair towards the CIC and the main battle screen, he would not sit down for the rest of this engagement.

"Commander?"

"Yes Seirha?"

"Your highness, we all knew what was to be expected of us when we volunteered to this duty, I don't think there's a single doubt in the mind of this crew of what needs to be done."

All around the bridge, the crewman and officers gave somber but re-assuring nods to the Commander.

"…Thank you…all of you."

Xarrha's unifying words were broken by new alarms from the CIC and Sanctus.

"Another salvo of plasma torpedoes inbound! Vector confirmed at two-eight-nine!"

"Evade! Bank the ship hard to starboard! Have the Nova Array target all mid-range ships, plasma batteries fire at will on all close-range vessels, have the Apsahlus cannon target the Carriers bombarding us at long range!"

As three torpedoes arced toward Harbinger, she rose and listed heavy to starboard as two of the torpedoes over shot, one torpedo however hit home near the engineering bay. Plasma also splashed on her belly near her left wing, armor plating began to melt away from the area around the wing. Harbinger had 2 multiple geometry styled wings on her port and starboard hull, as she entered the atmosphere of a planet they would fold back and under her armor and then assume a forward position after obtaining stable flight. As the ship began to recover from the impact, she slowly sank to the ground, her wing began to bleed in the form of melted armor.

"Commander, engineering has taken a hit as well as our Port wing. Atmospheric and Life Support systems have been overloaded in the area, engine output has been reduced twenty eight percent."

"Engineering, this is Commander K'Taurn."

There was only static.

"Xahnna? Xahnna Vectimus do you read me?"

Xahnna was Harbingers Chief of Engineering, he was also Xarrha's closest companion.

"Any crew members, please respond!"

Again only static filled the com channel.

Frantic, he turned to Bias and Sanctus.

"Internal scan! Give me a sitrep on Engineering!"

"Sanctus are you reading anything?"

"No Bias, Commander the heat from the impact has overloaded sensors in the area, we won't know what's going on for another three minutes, I'm sorry."

Xarrha begrudgingly quenched the pain of potentially losing his best that he had known for his whole life. Harbinger rocked as 3 more plasma torpedoes impacted on her hull.

"Life support is failing in decks A through C commander; plasma battery number three is not functional at this time."

"Thank you, Sanctus. Seirha get everyone off this ship."

"Commander?"

Xarrha pinged the ship wide intercom system.

"All hands this is Commander K'Taurn, evacuate immediately, I repeat. Evacuate Immediately. AEGIS pilots to your stations, protect and guide the escape shuttles on an out system vector as they escape the atmosphere"

The commander returned to his command chair and opened a holographic screen and began entering calculations and adjustments to the ships weaponry and thrust.

"Your majesty? What are you doing?"

"Seirha, Bias and Sanctus will remain behind, please get everyone safely off this ship and away from the Covenant."

Xarrha's words were short and cold, his normal blue-gray eyes had dulled to a dark hazel, after entering some final calculations he returned to the center of the CIC.

"Your majesty I swore and oath to serve with and beside you regardless of circumstances, we all did. I will not abandon you or this ship!"

"You have no say in the matter; consider it an order not only from a superior officer, but from a member of the royal family. My father will be here soon, he will recover you."

"Xarrh-"

"Enough! Everyone off this ship, NOW!"

Xarrha looked into the eyes of everyone of his officers as they slowly walked off the bridge. When everyone left he turned to look at his two AI companions on their pedestals next to his chair.

"…Mendicant Bias, Sanctus Valerium….are you with me?"

After reviewing Xarrha's calculations into the ship, the both of them very well understood what Xarrha intended to do, the constructs gave their answer in somber unison.

"Always, you're Highness."

Harbingers exterior armor shifted and transformed as plasma batteries one and two shifted over and down to where they were on the sides of Harbinger instead of her dorsal hull. Her engines flared as the last of the escape shuttles and AEGIS suits blasted away from the battle, looking over the scared remains of the CASTLE 2 base. As they rose higher and higher they saw a small fleet of human ships hiding behind a backdrop of mountains roughly 200 kilometer away from the battle. In the lead shuttle next to a viewport, an engineer lay unconscious on a medical stretcher with his arm and upper torso severely burned, his name patch read: Vectimus.

"Unleash all safety locks on all active ship armaments, energize plasma batteries one and two to their fullest extent and maintain constant energy lances for as long as our core can hold it. Activate the Apsahlus cannon and engage it in positron firing mode. Sanctus, Bias this shall be our final task. Harbinger, launch!"

The ship seemed to roar as her engines flared, her wings reluctantly angled up and horizontal to the ship instead of their standard low thirty degree angle. Her two forward plasma batteries caste out their lances to near twice the length they normal engaged. As Harbinger raced towards the Covenant fleet she began taking more flak from the lead ships.

"Fire the Apsahlus cannon at the lead assault carriers!"

A massive beam of positron energy detonated the sky in front of the covenant fleet, 3 carriers were immediately vaporized and several surrounding ships seemed crippled. The explosion and beam of positrons left a gap of pressure in the air that accelerated Harbinger even more, her wings now angled back and under her hull armor to reduce increasing drag.

"The forward Destroyer and Battle Cruiser cut those ships in two!"

Harbinger banked slight starboard as her plasma lances burned through the two Covenant ships, plumes of plasma bracketed Harbinger as she passed through. The deeper she pushed into the fleet, the more ships she destroyed, but she also took heavier fire. Three more plasma torpedoes arced from a distant Battle Cruiser and slammed into Harbingers rear, her Nova Array took a direct hit and began to literally melt down her back.

"Nova Array is offline, reactor temperature is at 78% critical, we won't be able to keep this up much longer."

"I understand Sanctus, but just a little more!"

The geometric triangles and other angular shapes that made up her hull had now deformed to fires and melted depressions across her hull, the once gorgeous and elegant carrier now seemed little more than a shadow of its former self. Harbinger banked and rolled as she carved up ship after ship pressing further into the Covenant fleet. As Harbinger homed onto another Assault Carrier, a Destroyer burst its engines and banked hard into Harbingers flight path, with anytime to evade the two ships collided with a loud cry of warped hull plating. The Destroyer was totaled by the collision; a large portion of its dorsal hull had been completed ripped off. Harbinger remained whole for the most part but her internal super structure was a mangled mess. Xarrha grabbed hold of his command chair try to brace as his ship contacted the ground and dug a massive gash into the dirt and rock. Boulders and trees were slung like toys as Harbinger skidded to a halt after a 3 kilometer drag. She impacted the ground going near speeds of Mach 4. As Xarrha weakly got to his feet, he knew the battle was over.

"Commander, you must make it to Avalon, it's still in the Hangar, you may need to teleport to it since it's probable the corridors are destroyed."

Xarrha coughed a deep crimson blood onto the arm of his coat; he also felt it coolly run down the side of his head.

"The two of you upload yourselves into Avalon's core; I may need your assistance."

Before Bias or Sanctus could respond, Xarrha heaved and coughed up a pool of blood onto the seat of his chair, and quietly passed out. His eyes glazed over from the deep hazel to a midnight black.

* * *

**Sorry everyone for the massive delays in this story. I recently have been having motivation and inspiration issues, so i decided to read that new book Halo: Cryptum. Well needless to say, I hated everyone about it. Greg Bear didn't portray anything very well in my opinion and alot of things were left pretty vague. Taking that to heart I've gotten myself to finish this chapter and I'm already prepping chapter 12. I hope you enjoy. Reviews and critique are welcome.**


	12. Chapter 12: Righteous Defiance

Chapter 12

**Righteous Defiance**

October 25, 2562

Planet: New Eden, Sigma Ceti II System

Location: Altar Mountains, Battle of New Eden

Despite the carnage that had taken place in the past few hours, the surface of New Eden was eerily quiet. What was left of the Covenant fleet, some odd 30 ships, now circled above the mangle wreckage of the AAC-H101 Harbinger. Gale force winds began to kick up around the scarred valley surrounding Xarrha's ship, several mountain peaks had been completely obliterated in the onslaught of the CASTLE II base. Below the circling fleet of ships, Harbingers sentinel battalion that had been launched hours earlier now orbited the remains of their home vessel, red angry eyes glaring at the Covenant fleet. On Harbingers bridge, Xarrha laid unconscious in a pool of his own blood, his eyes had faded to a midnight black. As the ship rocked from internal explosions, golden particles wrapped around his body and he vanished. Xarrha re-materialized, slumped over in Avalon's cockpit. Mendicant Bias and Sanctus Valerium's avatars hovered over 2 pedestals beside the control armatures.

"You were able to do it."

"Yes Bias, but just barely, I didn't expect the ships internal teleportation system to be working at all. We need to hurry and get him out of here, he is gravely injured. He's suffering from severe head trauma and internal bleeding."

"He cannot die, not here, not now; I will not allow him to die after only a couple of months of our reunion!"

The Avalon Gundam began to shutter as Bias and Sanctus took control over its systems, its golden eyes flashed once as it activated. Pushing itself away from its security gate and docking bar Avalon slowly made its way through the hangar deck to the mauled linear catapult and launch ramp. The door had taken a direct hit from a plasma torpedo, so it had melted and warped in a very bad way.

The two avatars representing each AI began to glow in a bright intensity as Avalon powered up ever further.

"We will not allow this."

The two said in unison, their voices filled with a sense of vengeance and righteousness. Avalon's armor began to transform and open, revealing a golden under armor emanating with an intense power. Avalon's face plate split and slid under its cheek armor, revealing 2 distinctive vents on the front of its face. As its eyes blurred from a shimmering gold to a soothing blue white, the spire like crest on its forehead split and folded into a distinctive golden V.

Bias and Sanctus began to speak again in unison.

"We will not have you cripple this empire after so much it was worked to achieve, not during this era of restoration, not from the likes of you!"

* * *

October 25, 2562

Planet: New Eden, Sigma Ceti II System

Location: Valley in the Altar Mountains

A lone Covenant destroyer approached Harbinger unleashing a swarm of phantoms and spirits to scout the ship and eliminate any survivors. The Covenant also needed to learn how the "humans" acquired such powerful technology and ships. The destroyer was several hundred meters above the wreckage when it detected an intense energy spike near the starboard of the ship. Fearing its power plant was going critical the task force began to back off. A crimson lance of energy burned a perfect circle through Harbingers hull, as it detonated, Avalon burst through the hole and into the sky, leaving a trail of smoke in its wake. Before any of the drop ships could react, Avalon had placed itself right below the destroyer. Energizing a ball of plasma in its hands, the Gundam manipulated it into a plasma lance and cut the destroyer in half. As the ship detonated in a ball of fire, the rest of the Covenant fleet began to move to the scene to investigate what happened; the Gundam raced through the fireball and began firing on the Covenant fleet. Avalon cut through two battle cruisers simultaneously as it danced its way to the heart of the fleet, evading plasma torpedoes like time itself had stood still. Harbingers sentinels now followed in queue with Avalon. The Onyx Sentinels quickly darted and regrouped; out of the formation they formed four massive pyramidal prism "super sentinels."

The Covenant having no idea what the machine was, and witnessing it effortlessly annihilate 3 heavily armed ships, while also seeing it command the almost thousand strong Sentinel swarm; moved quickly to remove the threat.

Their efforts were in vain.

An Assault Carrier took lead and fired 3 plasma torpedoes at Avalon. Reacting quickly, the sentinel Interceptors quickly formed a dodecahedron around Avalon and began to violently swirl around the Gundam. All three torpedoes were dragged into a magnetic field created by the swirling formation; Avalon's eyes flashed as it willed the torpedoes into narrower bands of plasma and unleashed them on its attacker. The Carrier was instantly skewered by the plasma bands, wrapping and chopping the carrier into bits. One band that perforated the core shot out and wrapped around the forward bulbous head of the carrier.

Avalon unleashed the magnetic fields around the bands and plasma exploded and washed all over the Carrier, as the mortally wounded ship fell out of the sky the rest of the Covenant fleet converged on the Avalon Gundam. As they got closer the dodecahedron slowed, sentinels shifted and transformed the giant pattern, spikes now protruded out of the "faces" of 'hedron. The sentinels charged and fired crimson plasma lances out of the tips of the spikes, and once again increased the speed of their rotation. As the Covenant fleet swarmed over Avalon, it was diced and chopped into a giant orb of debris. As the debris field settled, the Gundam looked skyward to see 3 ships attempting to escape the atmosphere, a destroyer and two battle cruisers.

"I don't think so!"

Sanctus and Bias spat. Avalon accelerated and rocketed towards the upper atmosphere, the dodecahedron quickly shifted and transformed into a giant diamond around the Gundam, the sentinel pyramids quickly in tow.

"Escape and solace are not your rewards for this, we won't allow it!"

As the three ships began to breach the atmosphere, the pyramids rotated around the diamond and unleash twelve crimson lances, four each from the pyramids tips. In an instant the 3 ships were carved into several useless hulks, detonating into massive plasma fireballs on the precipice of the atmosphere.

Avalon kept going, and slowed to a halt in low orbit over New Eden, looking back there was a massive scar the battle had left. Half of a continent was burned and charred from the confrontations; Bias and Sanctus viewed the small UNSC fleet fleeing from the opposite side of the planet. Both sighed in relief for them, they made it at least. A small communiqué reached Avalon before it could engage the rest of the Covenant fleet that was orbiting New Eden's moon.

* * *

PRIORITY MESSAGE:/

ACTING UNSC COMMANDING OFFICER:

Captain Henry M. Archer.

We will not forget your assistance and sacrifice. Our Government will stand ready for proper First Contact Protocols soon; we hope to do what we can to return this favor in earnest.

Sincerely,

Captain Archer

END MESSAGE:/

* * *

"This is promising; Xarrha must be present for that. He's too close to death, but should we let them go?"

"We have to Sanctus, I have a feeling they won't be leaving this system too soon. They won't get a chance too."

All of the sentinels transformed back into a giant sphere and orbited Avalon, a small forerunner fleet exited slipspace in low orbit over New Eden and retrieved the previously escaped AEGIS units and shuttles. Contender, Harbingers old friend approached Avalon and slowly opened its hangar door. As the Gundam docked with the Contender, the forerunner fleet quietly slipped out of the system.

* * *

October 25, 2562

Planet: New Eden, Sigma Ceti II System

Location: High Orbit and Moon Orbit.

As the Forerunners left, the Covenant Remnants closed quickly on the planet. Close to three-hundred Covenant ships were left, but most of them left the system thinking it was secure. Only 120 Ships were left to guard the system, all of them assumed a low orbit formation concentrating on the battle site. The relatively small fleet did not directly participate in the battle, but many ships were wounded from the onslaught of the Super MAC cannons. Still licking their wounds, the Covenant were shocked as a human fleet of over 250 ships exited slipspace on the opposite side of the planet, descending from the galactic plane, relative to their position.

The UNSC had long since upgrade in the past 10 years, after desperately long hours of research; humanity had finally managed to create ship-based energy shields. Like their cousins used on the Spartan II's, they were more improved than their Covenant counterparts. Offensively, the majority of the ships were equipped with experimental plasma turrets. Learning from the lessons of the AI Cortana earlier in the war, the Covenant inefficiently launched "blobs" of plasma that wasted energy and momentum. The turrets the humans used, utilized plasma "lances" like their Forerunner counterparts.

Human innovation had finally trumped Covenant imitation.

Leading the human armada were three new UNSC vessels, dedicated Battleships. The three sister ships were the UNSC Shoulders of Atlas, UNSC Hands of Daedalus, and the UNSC Hammer of Atlantis. The new battleships were more than twice the size of a Phoenix class colony ship, at three-thousand five-hundred meters long, they were titans. Each battleship was armed with 2 Super MAC cannons, hundreds of Archer missile pods capable of launching thousands of missiles, 6 plasma turrets, and various other point-defense weaponry and cannons. Upon exiting slipspace, they raced towards the Covenant fleet.

Several Covenant Assault Carriers opened fire when the armada got in range. Two plasma torpedoes slammed into the side of the Hammer of Atlantis, her shields rippled and faded absorbing the impact. Unflinching from the attack, the armada pressed forward. The Atlas, Daedalus, and Altantis unleashed the hellish steel rain from their Super MAC cannons that tore three of their attackers asunder in the middle of the enemy fleet. The Covenant, unprepared for the Humans new technology, tried forming into separate battle groups to confuse their enemy, an effort that was in vain.

This was another fight the Covenant would lose. Defiant from the very beginning, Humanity was prepared for this full fledged assault, vengeance for every single colony the Covenant had burned, for the billions of lives extinguished. This was humanities righteous defiance.

* * *

**Chapter 12 ready to go! Reviews and Critique please! **


	13. C13: The Demon, The Child and The Knight

Chapter 13

**The Demon, The Child, and The Knight**

October 30, 2562

Planet: Unknown, Unknown System in the Galactic Mid Rim.

Location: Unknown, Great Plains.

A Forerunner science vessel exited a slipspace gateway in high orbit above the planet. The ship was shaped like a long upside down obtuse triangle; its forward dorsal bow was a smaller upright triangle. Near its stern were 4 trapezoidal pylons that protruded like solar sails. Sleek and elegant, this was the ship of a Forerunner Lifeshaper. A small bay opened on the side of the ship and released a shuttle towards the planet.

On the surface, the small shuttle raced across the open plains, jinking with the high winds. The sky had turned black with intense storm clouds; lightning and thunder could be seen and heard in the distance. The shuttle slowed to a halt in front of the mangled wreckage of a UNSC ship. The ship's hull was burnt black from the atmospheric re-entry, and upon impact what was left was severely deformed.

As the shuttle landed; four Forerunner engineers and a Forerunner lifeworker walked out and over to the fallen ship. Three engineers summoned a small squad of maintenance sentinels that began to quickly cut and disassemble a tunnel deeper into the wreckage. The lifeworker turned to the fourth engineer and began discussing possible complications with the wreckages stability, when all of a sudden the other three called out.

"We found him!"

"Are you sure?

"Positive, I doubt any other Reclaimer is as big as him."

"Hurry then, get him onto the shuttle, we have much work to do."

"What of his construct? She's offline, I can't access her…she may be dead."

"Bring her as well; our Construct Engineers may be able to save her"

The engineers materialized a hover dolly, and began transporting a large cryo tube back to the shuttle. As the four men walked with it, the life worker smeared his hand over the glass to remove ice build up. A golden visor reflected a lightning strike in the distance as the Forerunners began to lift off in the shuttle with their cargo.

* * *

October 30, 2562

Planet: Avalon

Location: Laurentian Highlands, Palace of the High Family, Medical Wing

Xarrha was running down a large ornate hallway, on the walls were huge pus filled sacs that were surrounded by writhing tentacles. He reached for his holster on the inside of his coat; all he felt was his under vest.

"This isn't happening…I dropped my side arm…this can't be happening."

He turned around to look down the hallway he just came from, after a few seconds of pondering whether to try and retrieve his weapon, a deep bellow echoing into a horrid alien cry erupted from beyond an eerie green fog.

"I..impossible…we…we contained it! This is impossible!"

As he walked backwards he staggered and fell, scurrying from the mist came hundreds of Flood infection forms, chittering for his flesh. All at once, they leaped onto Xarrha, he could feel their tendrils drilling into his bone.

"XAHNNA!"

Xarrha jumped up from his bed in a hot sweat. Across his room the door opened and several doctors and nurses rushed through.

"Xarrha? Whats-"

Before he could finish Xarrha was sitting off the side of his bed, grasping his shoulders in a tremendous shiver. His skin was pale, his eyes a faded pink.

"Your majesty…what's happened…"

"…I saw…the Flood..."

"Xarrha, it was only a dream, come now look at me"

The senior doctor's voice was very cool and controlled, but there was a look of worry on his face. He began to slowly hover his palm over Xarrha's body. The sensory equipment in his glove began recording read-outs on the screen next to him.

"It couldn't have been…it seemed far too real, I could feel everything, from the spores in the air to the infection forms boring into my legs…it's back…"

Xarrha looked up and around, the room was fairly medium sized, it's ceiling layered with ornate buttresses in the corners, a singular window at the side, and a double door at the other. Outside in the Laurentian Highlands it was storming, rain and wind were battering Sigilum City, the planets capitol. Xarrha moved his arm, twinging at a sharp pain that rain down his right shoulder blade into his back. He also had a slight migraine, as he went to rub his head he felt a small scar under his smooth brown hair. No doubt, surgery where he obtained his head injury from his last battle.

"Doctor, am I home?"

"Yes, you're back on Avalon. You were near death when you arrived, you can thank Ahctus, Bias and Sanctus later….especially those two constructs of yours."

"They saved me? What happened?"

"When you're well enough, you're free to leave to your father, in the mean time get some rest."

"Doctor wait! Please…is Xahnna Vectimus alive?"

There was a deep sense of anxiety in Xarrha's voice. Personally, Xahnna was everything to him. The doctor turned around at the door, with a smile.

"You needn't worry your majesty, he's alive and recovering."

As the doctor and nurses left, Xarrha laid back on his bed, releasing a great sigh of relief. As he looked out the window Xarrha began to wonder where his father was, and how well Xahnna actually was. As the storm raged on; he saw a silhouette in the courtyard of the Hospital. Xarrha got up and took a closer look outside, it was Avalon. In the storm his Gundam was on the ground kneeling, its head bowed down.

"Hmm…knight of Avalon…"

Xarrha was startled when he heard a voice respond to him.

"That's a rather quasi-mystic way to look at that machine. Or is it you as well?

Xarrha turn to see who the voice was. A tall woman with long, wavy auburn hair smiled back at him. She was wearing a very decorative dress; on her shoulder was the same crest that appeared on his coat: 2 wings overlapped by a sword and shield in the center. Her name was Morgahna K'taurn, Xarrha's mother.

"Mother!"

Xarrha and his mother's eyes faded to a dull salmon as they embraced, it had been many months since Xarrha had seen, let alone spoken to her.

"How are you feeling my child?"

"Regret, shame, anxiety. In my recklessness my ship was destroyed, a Reclaimer world scarred with plasma, I do not know how many of my crew has perished. The doctor has told me Xahnna is alive, but I don't know the extent of his injuries. I have failed mother."

Morgahna hovered her hands over her son's shoulders; Xarrha was enveloped in light as she rematerialized his hospital garments into his normal casual wear. A white dress under shirt with a blue velvet vest, his dark blue gloves as well. His black denim dress pants as well. His shoes were a combination of blue and black with silver tipped toes.

"Mother?"

"Come with me Xarrha, we need to put your mind at ease."

"How is father feeling about this?"

"He's happy you're alive; disappointed in the loss of the Harbinger but he also understands it can't be helped. He isn't angry Xarrha."

As the two walked down the ornate hallway to the main lobby, a sharp pain twinged in his back and head, if shame had a physical manifestation this was it. Outside was a transport waiting for him and his mother, several Royal Guard Marines awaited them. Before Xarrha could leave through the front door however, someone grabbed his arm. He was swung around and found himself in a locked embrace. A young man with jet black hair, waved over his forehead and spiked back, smooth emerald eyes clenched Xarrha; tears. He felt the arm brace over the boy's right arm and several bandages on his neck.

"Xahnna….thank the stars…"

* * *

**Chapter 13 is a go! Reviews and Crit! I'll try my best not to turn this into some mushy romance, especially since its guyxguy (sorry characters modeled after my preferences). Announcement of Halo Anninversary and Halo 4 has me stoked, I had started writing this chapter days ago, other wise I may have implemented 343's little presentation into my story, doesnt matter though since mine is a break-away canon. Thanks to everyone for all the support up until this point.**


	14. Chapter 14: Those Who Fight

Chapter 14

**Those Who Fight  
**

October 34, 2562

Planet: Avalon

Location: Laurentian Highlands, Sigilum City, Heimdall Military Base.

It was unusually quiet in the Heimdall Military Base, particularly since the Forerunners recovered a Reclaimer "artifact" a few days ago. Down a long ornate hallway, in a room labeled "Artifact Reclamation" Forerunner lifeworkers and engineers tended to their prize. The highest ranking personnel were Vectum Cahsval, head Construct Engineer and Arihanna Lantum, head Lifeworker of the facility. Arihanna was a Lifecrafter, only 5 lifeworkers on Avalon were that rank, and the only higher was the Librarian herself.

Vectum was working on the female construct recovered a few days ago, while Arihanna on the cryotube. As Arihanna was reviewing readouts from the cryotube, Vectum called out to her.

"Lady Arihanna, I have something!"

She quickly made her way to his side.

"What is it?"

"I've finished reconstructing her memory and control matrices, I'm about to bring her online."

"Really, is she stable enough?"

"She should be, are you ready?"

"Go ahead, bring her online."

Vectum moved a control slider sideways on the holographic panel; energy began to flow into the AI chip on the pedestal. A small ring of light began to glow around the chip, slowly a hologram materialized on the pedestal. A young woman covered in basic line structures, with medium length hair slowly looked up to them, she was holding her head as if she were experiencing a migraine. What the small woman saw astounded her. A man in ornate dress wear, complex geometric symbols covered his over coat and pants. A small holo-visor fitted over his left eye, under his bright blonde clean cut hair. The woman next to him wore a dress in similar styling only it was a dull grey with red linings. Her forest green hair was wrapped into a ponytail.

Vectum began to speak to her.

"Hello there, would you mind telling us who you are? I am Vectum Cahsval head Construct Engineer at this facility, my associate is Arihanna Lantum head Lifeshaper."

The small blue woman crossed her arms and raised her left eyebrow.

"My name is Cortana, UNSC serial number CTN-0452-9, an Artificial Intelligence."

"My what a mouthful."

Vectum chuckled as he pushed his equipment away.

"We'd like to ask you some questions pertaining to you and your companion we found."

Cortana immediately seemed startled.

"John!"

She looked across the room and saw his cryotube against the wall; ice still covered the inside of the cabin.

"Is that his name? What can you tell us about him?"

Cortana looked back at the two with a look of confusion and wary.

"You aren't human."

"No….we are not"

Arihanna responded calmly.

"We are Forerunner, I am not at leeway to explain the situation just yet, our Emperor will do that, but before we continue we need to wake, John, his name right?"

"Why is that?"

Cortana responded curtly.

"Orders from our Highness and the High Council, we were told to wake him, reinvigorate him and make sure he's completely healthy. We haven't made official first contact with the Reclaimers yet, so my guess is to return this one in prime condition as a token of goodwill and respect."

"I…see. Well, just go with the flow they always say. What do you need exactly from me?"

"We need you to wake up John."

"You can't wake him Arihanna?"

"No, we've tried most applications other than directly opening his cryotube, we don't want to injure him. From what Vectum analyzed from your damage memory Matrix before rebuilding it, he concluded the two of you were particularly close, maybe stimulation from you would wake him."

"Guess it can't be helped you peeked into my mind…"

"Sorry, but it was necessary."

"Very well, bring his cryotube closer if you can."

Vectum hovered his hand over a holo-panel and the cryotube lifted off the floor and slowly made its way in front of Cortana. Cortana thought for a short while how to do this, until it hit her.

"…Wake me…when you need me."

John's voice echoed in her head.

"John! Wake up!"

The cryotube continued humming with no change.

"I need you! Chief!"

"I got something…"

Arihanna began to scroll through the holo-panel.

"His hearts beating, his pulse and neuron activity is up!"

"Wake up John!"

The Master Chief began to move his head, his flashlight helmet sparked to life.

"CHIEF!"

The cryotube burst open, and John leaped out, landed his hands on the pedestal.

"Cortana!"

"John…"

There was a sense of relief in Cortana's voice. Master Chief looked up at the two oddly dress humans staring at him, he stared right back.

* * *

October 34, 2562

Planet: Avalon

Location: Laurentian Highlands, Palace of the High Family, Recreational Garden.

Xarrha stepped out of the transport that had brought him and his mother to their palace, he turned around and gave Xahnna a somber smile and nodded his head, Xahnna returned the gesture as the transport quickly flew away, back into the heart of Sigilum City.

"You're bond with him is strong, he cares for you deeply."

"He is one of the reasons why I fight, mother."

"I see. A bond like yours is something precious, like a single diamond in a quarry of coal. Don't ever let him go my child."

"I don't intend to mother."

As they approached the main entrance to the palace, they took a side path around to the rear. Here, there was a small lake which looked deeper into the Laurentian mountain ranges, their snowcapped peaks glistened beautifully in the afternoon sun. At the edge of the lake stood Xarrha's father, Harken, he wasn't wearing his ceremonial armor. Instead he was wearing ornate dress garments, with green geometric lines running across his shirt and trouser. He stood staring into the mountains, his blue grey eyes transfixed. The wind blew his against his smooth medium length beard; he brushed his large hands through his silver clean cut hair. Xarrha remember as a child he used to compare his fathers hair with that of some mountains on their original home world.

He wished happy days like those never had ended.

"You two need to have a long talk, I have duties to attend to."

"Farewell mother."

The two embraced once more, Morgahna then left for the palace. Xarrha calmly approached his father, and stopped a few feet short.

"…Father…"

"Speak your mind, my son."

Harkens voice was very smooth and gentle.

"I...I failed. My ship is lost, I no not how many of my crew I sacrificed, I-"

"None."

"What?"

"When the Contender and her fleet returned, we did a crew review. Surprisingly not a single crew member of the Harbinger perished. Some were severely injured but they are recovering."

Xarrha fell to his knees and let out a loud sigh of relief. Harken walked over and grabbed his sons shoulders, and gently lifted him up.

"Xarrha, why do we fall?"

"So we may rise?"

"Indeed, I've read the reports. You and your ship single handedly held off Covenant forces long enough for the Reclaimers of the New Eden colony to escape. Yes damage was done to the planets surface, but we can repair that. What matter is there was VERY low loss of life for us and our allies, despite the overwhelming odds. You exemplified self sacrifice that is evident of our beliefs and our families' ideals. I have never been more proud.

Xarrha was speechless before his fathers humbling words.

"Come, we have guests in the palace that we need to attend to."

"Guests? Who exactly?"

"Those we could have once been seen as enemies, trying to receive redemption."

Harken and Xarrha quickly made their way to the Council Hall, located in the palace.

* * *

October 34, 2562

Planet: Avalon

Location: Palace of the High Family, High Council Hall.

A Sangheili warrior was on his knees in front of the High Council, one hundred members on their pedestals in a large ring like structure that over looked a central platform where the warrior stood. Behind the warrior were 20 more Sangheili, the High Council from Sangheilos. The warrior in front of them was The Arbiter, the acting leader of their race, Thel Vadam.

As The Arbiter sit on his knees, his hands sat crossed on them. One of the councilors had just finished grilling him about his races involvement in the war with the Reclaimers. With the expression on his and the Elite Councilors faces, they all felt unimaginable shame. Blinded by faith and the manipulative prophets, they caste a genocidal war against humanity in hope to achieve a false "god-hood." They committed unspeakable atrocities to billions of lives. As Arbiter, Thel felt every single ton of responsibility that now lay on his shoulders.

As the councilors calmed down, Harken and Xarrha made their way to an ornate pedestal and sitting area for the emperor. Harken look down at Thel with a stern look on his face, Xarrha stood by and merely observed.

"Warrior, do you know who I am?

"I do not, I have not the honor nor power to assume."

"My name is Harken K'Taurn, Sovereign Emperor of the Forerunner Empire."

Being in the presence of the Emperor, Thel bowed his head in deep respect, his body began to tremble. While the story of the rings may have been false, and the promise of god-hood a lie; the Forerunners were still considered Lords of the Sangheili. They did after all spare them when they re-seeded they galaxy, sheltering them from the onslaught of the Flood.

"My Lord, I will accept all responsibilities of the actions my Race has committed against the Reclaimers. My blade alone slew countless in my blind fury and faith. There is neither excuse nor call of mercy for me."

Harken teleported right in front of Thel, had in his possession a platinum longsword covered in ancient Precursor runes. As Harken unsheathed the blade it made a distinctive ting throughout the hall.

"You instigated and started a war of Genocide against the race of beings we chose as our descendants, those who would have inherited the Mantle of Guardian ship. You set the galaxy ablaze, burning world after world. You not only obliterated entire populations but you scorched and glassed countless garden worlds, an act that can be consider the most sacrilegious thing in our society!"

Harkens voice boomed and echoed throughout the hall, his anger poured into Thel's heart, and sorrow emptied out.

"Yet, when the war came to a climax, you found you had been betrayed, manipulated into a suicidal attempt of become a demi-god. You retaliated with a ritualistic fervor that was unbeknownst until then. You even managed to form an alliance with the enemy you fought so hard to annihilate. You even charged head forth into the Flood in order to set things right, to correct the sins you had committed. You are a Warrior, battle is all that you know; but your heart can guide you well."

"Please my Lord, there is no other obvious punishment. Please end this!"

Harkens sword slashed at the air, and found it laying on Thel's shoulder, Vadam could feel the cold metal laying on his body. Harken raised the sword, twirled it, then placed it on Thel's other shoulder; bringing the hilt to his chest and then re-sheathed the sword. A look of confusion ran across Vadam's face, he looked up and spoke.

"Your majesty!"

"Rise. Thel Vadam, Arbiter of the Sangheili, Knight of Avalon."

A sense of honor and righteousness that Thel had never felt before surged through his body. Forgiven and uplifted, this was possibly the greatest honor ANY Sangheili could receive, the Sangheili councilors bowed to Harken and Thel, recognizing his new authority.

"My Emperor, what would you have your Knight do?"

* * *

October 35, 2562

Planet: Avalon

Location: Heimdall Military Base, training grounds.

The Master Chief stood before a massive training gauntlet the Forerunner had constructed for him, it reminded him of his training on Reach, long before the war with the Covenant had started. His sense of nostalgia was interrupted by Arihanna.

"John, we need to make sure you're still fit, hopefully this won't be too stressful, are you ready"

"…Always am."

"Stoic as ever I see."

Cortana's dry humor found its way into the conversation.

"Very well, lets begin."

John dashed straight forward into the maze of challenges.

It was good to run again.

* * *

**I've been dying for a chance to put Thel into the story, and it's finally here. Time to get the Chief up to speed as well. :D Reviews and Crit please!**


	15. C15: Boots in the Mud, Wings in the Sky

Chapter 15

**Boots in the Mud, Wings in the Sky**

November 4, 2562

Planet: Avalon

Location: Laurentian Highlands, Sigilum City, Heimdall Military Base.

A warm summers day at the Heimdall military base, but it was hardly quiet as it was hours earlier, several key personnel had moved to the observation room overlooking the training complex Lady Arihanna had constructed. What they were watching had them particularly intrigued.

The ground thundered as the Master Chief charged ahead, dirt sprayed behind him as his boots begged for more ground. Directly ahead of him were three large hurdles, unlike the ones used by Olympic events back on Earth, these things were clearly the size of Warthog LRVs. As he reached the first hurdle, John leaped in the air, landed on it, kicked off and jumped onto the second one. He jumped toward the third hurdle, the air screaming past his helmet visor. As he landed, the kinetic energy and weight of his Mjolnir armor took hold and cracked the massive log. Right as the log was about to snap, John dropped and rolled away as splinters and chunks of wood ricocheted off his energy shields.

"Nice job, I think there's one lodged in your neural lace."

John gave a small chuckle in return to Cortana's sarcasm; he actually missed her being inside his head after all this time. The Master Chief did an about face and sprinted off again, this time a large rock wall stood in his path. Kicking himself off the ground, John leaped onto the structure and began to claw his way to the top, as he reached the precipice he stopped. What he saw in the distance had him at a loss for words.

"Wow, and some people said New Alexandria was the most beautiful city in the galaxy.

Sigilum City shone bright silver in the high afternoon sky, rays of light beaming onto the city and wilderness around it. Transports and vehicles were meandering their way through the city, Forerunner civilians getting on with their daily lives. Behind the city were three long angular ships, Fast Attack Cruisers of the Forerunner Navy, they gracefully flowed past the city, their downward angled wings leaving contrails behind them. Even farther back was the Laurentian Mountain ranges, great snow capped peaks dredging into the sky, mist and fog coalescing near their bases.

As John stood on top of the rock wall, his sight seeing was interrupted by Arihanna.

"Now John, you see what WE fight for, it's not just this planet, but every garden world across the galaxy that can support life. We must restore the balance of power to this galaxy, it is the only way everyone can prosper and survive."

John understood; he understood every time he shot a Brute with his Battle Rifle, every time he threw a fragmentation grenade into a squad of grunts, every single time he had faced off against a Hunter in combat. John knew why the Forerunners, a race known for their pacifism and sense of peace, had to take up arms again. He understood all too well, the faces of each one of his fallen Spartans flashed before him. As John dropped and landed onto the dirt, a small crater and shockwave echoed away from his boots. As he made his way back to the training ground, Arihanna crackled over his headset.

"Well done John, but we need to know how well you can face off in hand to hand combat, we're sending a Sparring Sentinel to face off with you, get ready."

"I'm assuming it doesn't have a particle beam, those tend to be unhealthy for Johns already ragged armor."

"Don't worry Cortana, we use this against all military recruits, it's safe."

John looked down at his legs and gauntlets, observing the dents, pock marks, and plasma burns across his armor.

"Maybe I could use an upgrade…"

"We're actually addressing that now."

Vectum seemed cheery with his little interjection.

John cocked his head as he heard a burst of air from the far side of the base. In the distance a small craft began darting towards him. It vaguely resembled an F-99 Wombat fighter drone the UNSC Air Force deployed, what was different however, was its stout nose, and what appeared to be a bomb pod under its fuselage. When the drone got within one hundred meters of John, the pod folded open to reveal several manipulator arms clasping the air. The drone immediately stopped in front of him, a blue eye on the stout nose rotated up and down, observing John, after a few moments it spoke.

"Greetings Reclaimer, my name is Horizon, I am an Advanced Training Sparring Drone, are you ready to begin?"

"Ready when you are."

John assumed a defensive stance, his left fist clenched far out in front, while his right fist clenched close to his waist.

"Excellent!"

Horizon burst its repulsor engines and rolled, dashing straight for the Spartan. His speed almost took the Chief off guard as one of his arms whipped straight for Johns golden visor. The Master Chief shifted his footing and rotated his body right, bringing his fore arm up, blocking Horizons' attack. Horizon dashed back, brought two of his arms to bear and charge the Master Chief again; John ducked and rolled back to his feet behind the drone.

"Agility and response times are within expected parameters, continuing training."

Master Chief grunted as he prepared for another round.

* * *

November 4, 2562

Planet: Avalon

Location: Laurentian Highlands, Sigilum City, Heimdall Military Base.

Xarrha stood on a landing field on the far side of the base, facing his father and several members of the High Council who had seniority in their armed forces. Behind them stood Thel Vadam and the Sangheili Council, as he turned around he came face to face with his personal fighting machine.

Sunlight reflected off the AEGIS; its tall shoulder pauldrons formed into a stocky U shape as they faced outwards. The machines head at first glance seemed basic, two installations of cheek vents that protruded outward and fanned back made up its lower head armor. The forehead consisted of a silver spire like crest slanted on a frill that extended to the lower back of the head. The face bore two plates of armor that connected at the center, there was a distinctive gap where the armor would split when the AEGIS's performance limiters were removed; revealing 2 vents on its "nose" as well as a navy blue "chin."

Xarrha thought its aesthetic design was odd and awkward when he was first introduced this weapon, but since then it has grown on him. This was his other half, with Sanctus and Bias at his side, this machine was an extension of his will. This was Xarrha's sword and shield; this was the AFG-00AG1 Avalon Gundam.

"Xarrha, demonstrate to our guests the capabilities of this machine, to help them better understand the support we will be providing to them."

"Understood father…Avalon!"

The Gundams eyes flashed as Xarrha made his way into the cockpit, a 360 panoramic screen surrounding his seat and control armatures. Sanctus and Bias materialized next to his controls.

"It's about time you got to your feet."

And just why are you smiling Sanctus? I haven't seen you do that in a while."

"We've been asked to put on a show, Bias and I have been running simulations with this machine, we're quite eager to see what we can do with it."

"Xarrha, when Sanctus and I extracted you from New Eden, we obliterated a Covenant fleet of over one hundred and fifty starships, even then we barely grazed this machines potential."

"That's impressive and terrifying all at the same time. Just what kind of weapon is this thing?"

"Well it's not entirely a weapon."

"Come again Bias?"

"Sanctus and I have discovered a data partition that we cannot access labeled: GENESIS. The coding feedback suggest that this machine can do more that just destroy things, we're not entirely sure though."

"Wait, neither of you can access it? That's very odd."

"You're father did commission this machine, only he has the authority to have something secured like that."

"Genesis…Just what does that do I wonder…?"

Xarrha's idle chatter was interrupted by his irate father.

"Xarrha are you going to launch or not?"

Avalon lumbered to its feet and turned around to face the run-way strip, it then slowly walked its way to a safe distance away from his father and the councilors. Over the base intercom, the traffic control tower could be heard issuing warnings and commands to Xarrha.

"Attention all personnel, prepare for AEGIS launch, Avalon has made it's way to take-off positioning, damage crews stand by."

"This is Commander K'Taurn, Requesting permission to launch immediately."

"Tower Control, Double-Oh AG One, you are cleared for launch."

"Xarrha K'Taurn, Avalon, Launching!"

Avalon's wings burst open; its thrusters burned as it knelt then vaulted itself off the ground. Its eyes flashed gold as it rolled and accelerate even farther into the sky, the air billowed and exploded away as it pierced the sound barrier. On Xarrha's view screen, a shrill proximity alarm alerted him to five unidentified contacts pursuing him. Avalon whipped around to see several AEGIS units in a traditional V formation quickly gaining on him.

"Xarrha, no life signs detected onboard those machines, I'm guessing they're using Sentinel AI."

"Thank you Sanctus, this should be fun."

Avalon materialized a ball of plasma in it right hand and quickly manipulated it into a saber. Its wings folded and angled back as it raced towards the oncoming AEGIS squadron. The lead AEGIS immediately energized a plasma saber of its own and charged at Avalon. As the two sabers clashed, the sky erupted into purple sparks of energy, the lead AEGIS brought its foot thrusters too and boosted away from Avalon. Xarrha backed off and noticed that the squadron had surrounded him.

"This isn't going to be particularly easy Xarrha."

"Good Sanctus, the more challenging the better!"

Xarrha pushed his control sticks down and back, Avalon's wings burst open, the Sentinel Interceptors began to jitter in their storage racks. Xarrha closed his eyes as he extended his will to the fourteen drones situated on his back.

"Fly my Sentinels!"

The Interceptors immediately darted off Avalon's back and rushed straight for the lead AEGIS. The drones darted, rolled, jinked and twirled in the air as they released small bursts of particle beam fire from their golden eyes. Within seconds the lead AEGIS was carved into bits, it detonated into a small fireball as it lost altitude. Xarrha turned Avalon around, looking at the other four suits, his blue-grey eyes aglow with a restless intent.

"Let's have some fun!"

Avalon rolled as its engines burned, charging yet again into the battle.

* * *

**Sorry for the delay everyone, typical writers block combined with real life shenanigans. Reviews and Criticism welcome.**


	16. INTERMISSION: A Word to My Readers

INTERMISSION

**A Word to My Readers**

August 4, 2011

Before I release Chapter 16, I'd like to take a few moments to get a few things across. This story of mine has become one more of the little enjoyable things in my young (if not stagnated) life. Every time I release a chapter, I yearn for ideas, suggestions, reviews and critique. Some of you have given me sparks of ideas that I've implemented or are about to implement and I thank you graciously. To this point, despite the short and rocky start (expected a re-worked and remastered version of chapters 1 and 2 in the future.) my fic has garnered slight acclaim. It doesn't matter if it's a simple "Good story" or "I liked it, keep it up" or a long written paragraph of what you enjoyed followed by what wouldn't benefit the story and what I should change; what you say matters to me. You are my drive, and my inspiration. When I seek creativity inspiration I turn to my music (Two Steps of Hell is a prime example). But when I need a general drive, I turn to my reviews, what people say to me. I've reached a critical mark in the story, it's about to take off in what I hope is a really good direction. The current arc is about to blossom in a bigger arc that will once again consume my iteration of the Halo verse. It started with the conflict on New Eden, and culminated in Xarrha's rest and re-armament on Avalon. Chapter 16 will spear head a new object for the Empire, for Humanity, and for the Sangheili. I will need your suggestions, your reviews, and your critique more than ever. Those of you who have been consistently reviewing my story I may ask for official beta reading, and I earnestly hope you honor me by accepting. Stay tuned into the story and look for Chapter 16 this weekend. As I finish this I leave you with a few select titles for the up coming chapters, they are in no particular order. ;]

A Forerunner Nightmare

Rise of The Alliance

Harbinger of Heaven

Abomination

To Glory, To War

Heir of The Stars


	17. Chapter 16: Harbinger of Heaven

Chapter 16

**Harbinger of Heaven**

November 5, 2562

Planet: Avalon

Location: Laurentian Highlands, Sigilum City, Heimdall Military Base.

Dirt spray as Horizon pulsed its thrusters, what was his advantage in the beginning quickly had him on the defensive. John dashed straight for the drone, ducking as Horizon attempted to counter, and the hair on his head would have probably been grazed off his head were not for his helmet. His energy shields flared and re-stabilized, John thrusted his fist up; upper cutting into Horizons collection of armatures. Energy sparked from the joints in Horizons arms, as his power fluctuated; the Master Chief took advantage of the opening. The Chief immediately arced his body into a back flip, his boot slamming into the drone's eye. Energy began to spark across Horizons body, without warning he slammed into the ground. His cracked eye casing flickered as he spoke.

'W-w-well done reee-reclaimer. Your combat prowess has…has exceeded a-all expectations…."

His voice slowly faded off as her lost power.

John looked around, then up to the command tower where everyone was watching.

"Sorry…didn't mean to break him."

"Its fine John, we can repair him in no time. This exercise is now complete, please proceed to the base. There should be a door and an elevator a few meters ahead of you, we're going to assess and repair your armor."

"Sounds good."

"Any new additions?"

"A lot, Cortana. While rewriting your matrices, we happened upon a few schematic outlines a Doctor Halsey did of a mark seven variant of the Mjolnir armor John wears. We've made a few additions of our own, we hope you like it."

The master chief came to a door under the tower, as it slid open he caught the sight of the elevator to his right. He hovered his hover over a holo console and the elevator did a sharp drop, catching him off guard. Cortana chimed in as John regained his footing.

"Do you think we can trust them?"

"Its not like we have any other choice does it?"

"Yeah, we have no idea in the galaxy where we are, we have no UNSC support."

"I don't think the Forerunners are backstabbers, they're cryptic, but they seem honest."

"Hmm, let's see what they can do with your armor."

John took a step out as the elevator came to gentle stop, the doors slowly hissed apart. He was surrounded by a plain stark white room, in the center however was a small console. Shrugging off his curiosity, we slowly walked over and place his hand on the dial. The floor around him disassembled as plethora of platforms rose up around him, each of them holding pieces of what appeared to be Mjolnir power armor. The helmet looked like a mix of the older Mark V, the visor however extended a little farther out that normal. The key differences in the armor were the platinum plating's in key areas on the thighs, forearms, and shoulder pauldrons. His gawking was interrupted by both Cortana and Arihanna.

"Wow…"

"May I present the Mjolnir Power Assault Armor, Mark seven. There is a digital manual that covers all the mundane basic improvements like reaction times and the increase in strength. The key changes however begin with the energy shields. While the Mark six had increased shield strength than the Mark V and its Covenant counterparts, we believe we've helped them considerably."

"How so?"

"John you should now be able to take several direct hits from a "Hunters" plasma mortar and still retain half shield strength."

"Wow, that's impressive."

"Adding to that is the ability to concentrate shield strength in a number of quadrants on your body, to avoid serious damage from incoming projectiles. Aside of the energy shields, the power plant has been upgraded to what we call a Plasma Furnace. You now essentially have a micro star of pure plasma on your back, there are fail safes, if however unlikely, should it destabilize. Along with that, we've added mid-slip space exfiltration abilities, an oxygen recycling system for sustained zero atmosphere maneuverability, active camouflage cloaking, as well as software that will allow you to more easily interact with Forerunner installations should you come across them in your travels."

"Are we allowed to share this tech with the UNSC when we return?"

"Absolutely John, we encourage it. Now are you ready to be fitted?"

"You know it."

Cortana sense a small grin flick across his face, she herself was eager to see what this new suit was capable of.

* * *

November 5, 2562

Planet: Avalon

Location: Laurentian Highlands, Sigilum City, Heimdall Military Base.

Avalon quickly de-materialized the plasma saber in its hand, a small pulse of purple energy could be seen in its palm as the plasma projector powered down. All around the sky skittered countless maintenance sentinels, catching debris with their gravity nets. Xarrha slowly pushed his control sticks forward and down with a smug smile on his face. Before he could land however, his father sparked over Avalon's comm. system.

"Xarrha, go ahead and make your way to the planet side Kehndall Shipyards in Aurelia, I will be there shortly."

"Very well father, I'll await you at the facility."

Avalon slowed its decent and quickly turned around, as it headed west to the Aurelian continent, amber light glimmered off its armor; the sun was setting. Today had been a fun, albeit busy one.

And it wasn't even over yet.

* * *

November 5, 2562

Planet: Avalon

Location: Kehndall Ship Yards, Site B, Aurelian Plains.

Even though night had fallen, the Ship Yards shone as if it were day. For miles around Forerunner vessels laid in dry docks entrenched into the ground, receiving maintenance and refits. One of the larger dry docks still had its gates closed, this was the dock Xarrha's father instructed him to wait until he arrived. Xarrha patiently waited in a Zero G room the facility often utilized to train its technicians, he enjoyed silent meditation in zero gravity, helped him relax and think clearly. The door to the room opened with an audible hiss, Harken walked through and reset the gravity dial, and Xarrha began to slowly fall to the ground.

"Father what is it exactly you wanted me to see here?"

His boots made a slight clank as he landed on the floor.

"It's time I gave you a new pair of wings."

There was a sense of eagerness and cheer in his father's voice.

"What do you mean? I have Avalon don't I?"

"While you may pilot the AEGIS well, it's not exactly your forte now is it? I remember you being able to command something much bigger, much better."

"Father my ship is des-"

Before he could finish, Harken snapped his fingers, the observation windows on the far side of the room polarized. Light was coming from the hanger on the other side, Xarrha gave a curious look to his father.

"Go, take a look. Tell me if you like it."

Xarrha quickly walked over to the windows, what he saw astounded him.

"By the stars…"

A long sharp battle cruiser lay in the dock. Large low triangular prisms made up its bow and lower prow. Mid ship bristled with weaponry; a positron artillery gun and six plasma batteries, two batteries at the sides of the artillery gun, two further a mid ship, and two more below the command tower. Two long sharp ventral stabilizers lay at the side of the command tower, complimenting the ships large port and starboard wings. Unlike her predecessor, these were angled up and back. The ship was very sleek and aggressive but at the same time elegant and beautiful. Xarrha knew this ship.

This was HIS ship.

"…It can't be."

"My child, this is yours. You're still needed in the galaxy, and to be out there you need this. AAC-H102 Harbinger. I had the engineers modify her original schematics; she's vastly improved but still very similar. Harbinger is bigger, faster, and more powerful than she ever was before. This is my gift to you."

"What of a crew?"

"Go ahead and board her, you should approve of them."

Xarrha made his way to Harbingers Bridge, when he exited the turbo lift; he found a very familiar face looking at him. A young man with clean cut blond hair and blue eyes gave him a cheery smile. A small scar ran under his left eye, Xarrha had given him that when they were training together in the Imperial Naval Academy.

"Seirha!"

"Your majesty, I'm very happy to see you're doing well."

Seirha grabbed Xarrha's hand and slammed his hand on his friends right shoulder, Xarrha let out a small gasp as the pain shot down his back.

"Still recovering I see, come take a look at her Xarrha, she's magnificent."

Xarrha walked closer to the main view screen, he noticed the bridge had significantly expanded. A large half circle trenched into the floor, most of the major crew stations lay within it. Helm control, communications, and weapon control however lay in front of the command chair. Xarrha ran his hand over the back of the chair as he approached it. He slowly sat down and looked over his crew, all of them had made it, and not a single person had died.

"Glad to have you back commander."

Xarrha looked over to Comm. control; a young man with short brown hair gave him a cheery smile.

"It's good to see you Didain, how have you been?

"Excellent commander, we've all been busy prepping here, now that you're here we can finally get this mission under way."

Very good, Seirha…can she fly?"

"All systems are within operational parameters, were just missing two more crew members."

"Xahnna? Is he here?"

"He's actually been here the whole time; he's hard at work in engineering preparing a special gift for you; a new feature he's added to the ship."

"He's always pushed himself hasn't he…?"

"All three of us did, it's like our academy days never ended."

"If only, so who are we missing?"

Sanctus and Bias immediately materialized on two large pads beside Xarrha's chair, their holo projectors had been upgrade, and their avatars were now the size of the crew.

"We've actually been here for a while; shortly after you landed, we had technicians transfer us to review final checks and balances."

"So how is she Sanctus?"

"Bias and I are able to communicate and manipulate the system almost three times faster than the original Harbinger; Xarrha this ship has gotten more powerful in every aspect. I won't spoil the details; I'll leave that to Xahnna, but I can guarantee our cruising speed as doubled.

"The ship also now has a flexible M.D. field, Xarrha we can condense the field to match the ships silhouette, or expand it to twice the ships mass. It's very remarkable."

"I see, thank you Bias. Seirha, we should be ready."

"Ah good, lets make final preparations then!"

Seirha quickly made his way to the forward officer stations; he stopped and turned around to face Xarrha.

"By your word, Commander."

The Bridge crew looked over to Xarrha as a happy grin flicked across his face.

"Harbinger launch, inform all dock personnel and damage crews to stand by!"

The massive gates over the ship slowly slid apart, as they dredged open, the sun began to appear on the horizon. As Harbingers sharp bow angled up, preparing to launch into the sky, engineering sparked over the ship comm.

"Acting Chief of Engineering reporting in, Commander, we're at ninety-seven percent running efficiency, final preparations are complete."

"Excellent Xahnna, Harbinger engage!"

Harbingers engines roared and flared as she arced into the sky, her wings leaving spiraling white contrails behind her. Her wings angled forward as she leveled off at thirty thousand feet.

"Commander?"

"Yes Sanctus?"

"Before we can head out system, we must return to the Heimdall base to retrieve a special cargo, there is documentation in your quarters for review."

"Excellent, Seirha you have the bridge."

"Aye aye Commander, bring us about, accelerate to three-quarters full."

The bridge chatter died down as Xarrha entered the Commanders quarters down the hall from the bridge. As he entered Bias materialized on his desk.

"We've been given a special task from your father. Several days ago a science team recovered a special Reclaimer off a barren planet in the galactic mid-rim."

"Recovered? Is this the Reclaimer that went missing after The Battle of The Ark?"

"Yes, they called him Master Chief."

An image appeared on Xarrha's personal computer, a massive soldier in olive green power armor walking out of the wreckage of a drop ship, an assault rifle slung over his shoulder.

"This should be interesting indeed…"


	18. Chapter 17: Heir of the Stars

Chapter 17

**Heir to the Stars**

November 7, 2562

Planet: Avalon

Location: Heimdall Military Base, Armor Refit Room 2-A.

John relaxed as the last component of his armor clamped into place, as the armatures folded away he turned around, Lady Arihanna was holding his new helmet, the extended sun visor reminded him of some older MJOLNIR concepts he had seen. John's armor was magnificent, green and platinum plates interlaced and folded perfectly for a very flexible yet sturdy mix of Human and Forerunner design. John himself could even feel it move and react better.

"I'm doing rudimentary diagnostics on the suits system, Arihanna wasn't kidding. This suit is going to pack one hell of a punch."

"Indeed it will Cortana, here you are Master Chief."

John gently took his helmet from Arihanna, noting her cheerful expression. He heard a satisfying click as he slipped the helmet on, his HUD immediately flashed into existence. His energy shields immediately charged and enveloped his armor. The Master Chief looked down at his hands, examining his gauntlets and forearms, satisfied with his new suit; he immediately assumed a crisp at-ease stance.

"Ma'am, when do I start?"

"Soon John, Commander K'Taurn shall be your envoy back home, on your way there though, we intend to recover some friends of yours. Shortly before your assault on The Ark, we catalogued a Shield World lockdown in what you call the Zeta Doradus system."

"Zeta Doradus? Comms chatter during the Second Battle of Earth indicated something had happened there, we don't know for sure."

"Scout vessels indicate several life forms inside the Shield World; they should have it opened by the time you arrive there."

John and Arihanna had walked back out onto the bases exterior; they climbed a small staircase that led them both to a large open metal plane. John zoomed in with his visor and saw more areas of the base in the distance, what really caught his eye though was a large ship in the distance, descending at a fairly high rate of speed."

"Is that the commander's vessel?"

"Yes, that's the Harbinger, Commander Xarrha K'Taurn's ship."

"…He's not slowing down."

"The Commander can be a bit of a show off at times, although like you, he's one of the best."

Golden particles began to swirl around John, as Harbinger roared ever closer; he looked up to Arihanna, giving her a farewell nod.

"Good luck, Master Chief."

Arihanna's dress fluttered in the wind, as Harbinger boomed overhead, her smile slowly faded.

"You'll need it."

* * *

November 7, 2562

Location: AAC-H102 Harbinger, Recreation Deck A.

The golden energy that had enveloped John moments earlier quickly subsided, he began to worry however. All around him lay what appeared to be a small verdant forest, shrubs and trees with a small pond at his feet.

"Cortana…where are we…"

"Energy readings and comm. chatter suggest we ARE onboard a ship…our surroundings however tend to disagree."

Before Cortana could continue, a young man spoke out from behind him, surprising the Master Chief.

"Hello, John…how are you feeling?"

The Chief quickly turned around to see a young officer sitting on a large stone; legs crossed reading a data tablet. There was a small patch on his collar, two golden slashes followed by a silver half-circle, John figured it was his rank. His coat however seemed odd for an officer; form fitting but very long, similar to a tail-coat. Dark blue and silver geometric icons ran along the length of the coat.

"My name is Xarrha K'Taurn, Commander of the AAC-H102 Harbinger. Sovereign heir to the Forerunner Empire."

A smile twitched across Xarrha's mouth, without any hesitation John cracked a very crisp salute.

"Sir!"

"At ease John, while I appreciate the respect and discipline, you are not in our Navy and I am not your commanding officer. Consider me your…liason."

"Thank you, sir. I'm sorry but where are we?"

"One of Harbingers recreational decks; officers and crewman that are off duty can come here to relax and reconstitute themselves, it helps take some stress off. Those working with a clear mind tend to work more efficiently and more productively."

"I'm surprised you can fit and maintain something like this on a ship."

"Oh please John, you've seen first hand at what my species has created, surely it can't be too difficult, this ship is roughly two-thousand five hundred meters long, big enough wouldn't you say?"

"Indeed…"

There was a small pause before the Chief continued.

"Is something the matter John?"

"Sir, why am I here?"

"Simple, your UNSC needs you back. The Covenant, officially, has been dealt a killing blow thanks to you and the Sangheili. However, recently loyalist forces have been regrouping in startling numbers, and have once again been pushing into human space. A couple of months ago my ship prevented an invasion of almost six hundred ships onto one of your major colonies. We stalled them and exhausted them long enough for a UNSC fleet to arrive and clean up the stragglers. You and your Spartans were the single most effective weapon against the Covenant. We will assist in whatever capacity necessary, but we still need you John, you're Spartans need you."

"Wait…what do you mean my Spartans?"

"Survivors, in the 'Zeta Doradus' system. We've gotten clear read outs from a Monitor there that he was been taking care of several Reclaimers for the past year, they all match your description John."

"Wait a minute, a year? The Zeta Doradus incident was recorded TEN years ago?"

"Yes Cortana, but you must understand; we've engineered our Shield Worlds to behave much differently in slipspace. What is ten years in this realm is one year in the slip space bubble. The same could be said for our self-imposed exile, what was one-hundred thousand years out here, was only ten for us."

"That's…astronomically remarkable, how on Earth did you accomplish that."

"Millennia of scientific dedication, we will be sharing what we can with the UNSC of course. More will be explained later, in the meantime why don't you come with me, I have quarters prepared for you. You will have access to our gyms and training rooms, though I suppose the first thing you might want is a hot meal and a nice shower; you have after all been in a suit of armor for a while."

"Yes, that could be refreshing, what about removing this new armor?"

"A personal sentinel will be in your quarters to help you; you'll find you're new suit much easier to remove than the last one. Follow me John, I'll show you to your quarters."

A sense of both relief and anxiety flooded John, which of his Spartans survived? His thoughts immediately raced to Kelly and Fred. He just HAD to know.

* * *

November 7, 2562

Location: AAC-H102 Harbinger, Bridge

His first contact with the Master Chief had gone very well, however Xarrha's cheery smile was abruptly ruined the moment he stepped back onto the Bridge.

"Commander, we've received a distress signal!"

"Clarify Didain, who is it, and how far away."

"It's a UNSC colony sir, its roughly five light years away."

"What exactly is happening to them?"

"From what I've gathered, an unknown amount of Covenant warships are attacking the colony, so far a good third of the planet has been glassed!"

"This will never end…what about their defenses?"

"It's a tourist colony sir, what minimal defenses they had are now gone…"

"All hands assume level five battle stations, change course immediately, have all fighters and AEGIS suits on stand by! Didain, call for reinforcements, Seirha prime sentinel battalions one through three and configure their IFFs! Lets move it people, I WILL NOT have another colony burn under my watch, DO YOU UNDERSTAND ME!

The entire crew responded without any sense of hesitation.

"Sir, yes sir!"

* * *

November 7, 2562

Location: Guest Quarters, John 117's room

John sat on the floor contemplating the fate of his friends, warily glaring out into the black empty void that was slipspace. Cortana tried to reassure the chief.

"I'm sure they're fine John, Fred and Kelly are survivors."

Before the Chief could respond, alarms rang throughout the ship, the Commander boomed over the intercom.

"All hands, assume level five battle stations! Were taking a small detour, prepare for colony defense!"

The Master Chief was out the door before Xarrha finished his sentence, his helmet made a satisfying hiss and click as he reached the turbo lift.

"This needs to end…now. Bridge!"

The turbo lift slid its doors shut, and rocketed upwards towards the command bridge, if there was anything the Chief could do, he wouldn't hesitate. He never did in the past and he certainly wasn't about to start.

* * *

**I do apologies for the dreaded lack of update, writers block combined with IRL complications. I felt this chapter was very "meh" I'll make up for it in chapter 18.**


	19. Chapter 18: Xarrha's Fury

_They are our final hope_

_They must grow, they must prosper._

_Their empire must span the stars as ours once did._

_Their extinction is our extinction._

_Our children must survive._

_The Abomination lurks in the darkest corners to end all things._

_And they are the only hope of salvation._

Chapter 17

**Xarrha's Fury**

November 8, 2562

Planet: New Arcadia, Alpha Indi System

Location: Low orbit

Harbinger roared through New Arcadias atmosphere, her wings burning bright crimson. A score of plasma torpedoes ripped through the clouds to meet her, her hull groaned as she banked hard to port, rolling over on her back. Harbingers primary plasma batteries hummed to life, six searing blue lances of plasma sparked from her gun emplacements. Three battle cruisers and two destroyers were impaled and severed as Harbinger rushed past their floating hulks. The sky was swarmed by Covenant capital ships; Battle Cruisers, Corvettes, Carriers, Assault Carriers, Escort Destroyers, Frigates. This was no harassment fleet, this was another full frontal attack; Mendicant Bias broke into the already hectic arguments.

"Alert! Two destroyers are charging us five kilometers directly off our bow!"

"Condense the M.D. field immediately; lace our wings in a flow of position energy! CUT THOSE SHIPS IN TWO!"

Harbingers wings burst into an aura of crimson light, like a vengeful phoenix she rushed head on into the destroyers. Her wings made contact with their prows, burning long gashes into their hulls. Their top decks began to bleed off into the sky, the area of contact with the wings began to dematerialize until finally the ships detonated into a fireball of purple ash, Harbinger continued down into the atmosphere. Her engines flared as she leveled out at two-thousand feet and pushed inward towards the capitol district.

"Launch sentinel battalions one through three immediately, and have them secure the capitol!"

Harbinger pushed onward above a forest just outside the planets capitol, thousands of sentinels began to pour out of her underbelly like an endless tide. Interceptor, Onyx Sentinels, Enforcers; even two Guardian Sentinels unlatched from her under hull. The Guardians were rarely witness by the UNSC, the giant sentinels' vaguely resembled blunt arrow heads, a singular red eye sat atop their monolithic bodies. The two Guardians bellowed a deep hum as they stopped their decent just above the forest canopy, shockwaves of air echoed outward from their sudden stop. The battalions quickly formed up around the Guardians, Onyx variants quickly formed separate battle groups, taking the shape of diamond and pyramidal prisms. The small army forced their way into the outskirts of the city.

A singular Covenant anti-air cannon embanked on a former highway immediately launched a barrage into the oncoming cloud of drones. The plasma bolts were immediately deflected by the energy shields of a Guardian who charged its way in front of the attack. The Guardian again bellowed a deep, angry hum as its eye charged with energy; unleashing a lance of golden plasma at the gun battery. Ash and debris blanketed the area as the Guardian moved on. Three squadrons of seraph fighters screamed over the remains of a skyscraper and began a strafing run on the army. Two diamond super sentinels rolled and banked laterally to the seraphs, unleashing a hailstorm of plasma fire at the squadrons. The small fighters vaporized, their fireballs leaving a trail of smoke as they slammed into the ground.

"Commander, the battalions are making steady progress into the city, however we have incoming ships from all vectors! Closest targets are six inbound destroyers accompanied by two assault carriers!"

"Understood Sanctus, launch all A.E.G.I.S. units, have them prep for anti-ship/anti-armor combat, prepare Avalon as well, I'll launch soon myself"

Harbingers port and starboard hangar doors eased open, moments later ten A.E.G.I.S. suits burst their way onto the battlefield. Two suits engaged with a group of Scarab walkers guarding the city. The rest of them began targeting the incoming ships. Bias broke into the comm. chatter with new proximity alerts.

"Warning, I count six plasma torpedoes on an intercept trajectory, port side!"

"Evade, turn into them! Lock onto those ships with all forward gun batteries and return fire!"

Three torpedoes overshot, streaking past Harbingers Bridge, three more collided with her Magnetic Distortion field and instantly slammed into the ground setting parts of the forest ablaze. Three more destroyers and five corvettes attempted to strafe Harbinger on her starboard side, their point defense guns harmlessly bouncing off her M.D. field, further setting the ground on fire.

"Target those ships with the Nova Array, turn them into metal slag right now!"

A storm of plasma missiles arced loose from the rear of Harbingers engine nacelles. The covenant battle group tried to evade, two corvettes ended up slamming themselves into the nearby foot hills. The remaining ships were butchered by the onslaught of the nova array, a single destroyer detonated into a fireball consuming two more corvettes.

"Commander I'm receiving some transmission from inside the city!"

"Who is it Didain?"

"UNSC Marines sir, several platoons have bunkered down in key areas and are requesting backup. They only have light armor support, two M808B Scorpion tanks and a dozen warthog LRVs!"

"Seirha you have command I'm going into the city to assist those marines, keep circling the capitol and stave off this fleet until reinforcements arrive. I don't want a single drop ship landing to re-supply what infantry is already in, do you understand me?"

"Aye aye commander!"

As Xarrha was about to activate the turbo lift, John stepped out, catching Xarrha off guard.

"What is it chief, I don't have much time."

"Commander, I need a weapon. I stand ready to assist in whatever capacity necessary."

"Come with me, I'll drop you into the city where you can provide support to some Marine squads."

They both stepped back into the turbo lift; moments later they stepped out onto Harbingers hangar bay, Avalon was already placed on the catapult. Xarrha led the Master Chief to a small ready room.

"There's a Lance Rifle and a Bust Pistol in that locker on the wall."

John grabbed what could be seen as a forerunner version of a Covenant Beam Rifle and a small pistol resembling a Brute Mauler. They both made their way back over to the Avalon Gundam, John climbed up to the suits hand as Xarrha sealed the cockpit hatch.

"John, I'm going to drop you on the roof of the downtown Civic Center, there's a squad of marines that need help there."

"Roger."

Harbingers CIC officer broke into the intercom.

"Doulbe-Oh AG one, you are cleared for launch!"

"Xarrha K'Taurn, launching!"

Avalon burst out of the starboard launch bay, dropping close to the forest canopy, the Master Chief gripping the suits hand. The Gundam clasped John as it banked hard starboard into the city, several glass windows shattered at the sonic boom created by Avalon. As they rounded another corner, a large circular building came into view; it was being bombarded by several wraiths and two large platoons of Covenant troops.

"Get ready, I'm setting you down!"

The Master Chief braced as Xarrha landed next to the building, gently setting him down a few hundred meters away from the marine squad. As the Gundams hands cleared the Civic Center a Scarab walker rounded a corner down the street, Xarrha reacted quickly.

"I don't think so!"

The Gundams wings splayed open as it burned its thrusters, kicked its knee up and unclasped its hand. The Scarab attempted to fire its main plasma cannon, but Avalon slammed its hand into the walkers "maw." Xarrha drove the scarab into the ground, and dragged it a mile down the street before stopping short of a skyscraper. Avalon burst its thruster again, launching itself high into the sky, the Scarab exploded into a cloud of purple ash; the Marines and the Master Chief looked on with faces of shock and awe. A Marine sergeant rushed over to John, heaving from exhaustion.

"I never thought in a thousand years we'd see you again, welcome back Master Chief, are they…friends?"

The sergeant nodded to the sky at the storm cloud of sentinels.

"Affirmative, they'll keep us safe until reinforcements arrive, where do you need me?"

The Sergeant and the Master Chief ran back over to the squad and began assessing the situation. A very long battle awaited them; deaths would be unavoidable; especially since another Scarab rounded the corner behind the column of Wraiths. Its gaping maw began to charge a ball of plasma.

**To Be Continued In**

**Chapter 19: To Glory, To War.**

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**I hope you guys enjoy this chapter, I had a lot of fun writing it. Stay tuned for the next chapter. Reviews and Crit please!**


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